Pop Star Alameh’s Mocking of Nasrallah Sparks Outrage in Lebanon

A video that recently circulated online featuring Lebanese pop star Ragheb Alameh speaking on the phone with Emirati singer Abdullah Belkheir sparked anger among many Lebanese citizens. In the video, Alameh appeared to praise the killing of former Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah.

Nasrallah, a highly revered figure among his supporters and even some non-supporters of Hezbollah, was killed in September during an Israeli airstrike in Beirut’s southern suburbs. Lebanon, already deeply divided along sectarian and political lines, was further polarized by this video, with some defending Alameh’s comments while others expressed outrage.

In the video, Belkheir, speaking on loudspeaker, responded with a laugh after Alameh allegedly stated that “we’ve got rid of Nasrallah,” to which Belkheir responded, “Thank God.” Following the uproar, Alameh claimed that the voice in the video was either generated by AI or someone impersonating him.

In the wake of the controversy, a group of individuals attempted to vandalize Alameh’s school in Sainte Therese, Hadath. Alameh, who hails from a Shiite family in Ghoubeiry, Beirut, was granted a UAE golden visa in 2021.