Lebanese president picks ex-Hezbollah minister as reconstruction adviser

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun has appointed former Hezbollah minister Ali Hamieh as an adviser on reconstruction, a move that has sparked mixed reactions in the politically divided country.

Hamieh, who served as Public Works and Transport Minister and was part of Hezbollah's quota in the previous government, takes on the role amid Lebanon's urgent need to rebuild areas devastated by Israeli attacks on the small Mediterranean country. 

Much of the destruction is concentrated in southern Lebanon, but also large parts of Beirut's southern suburbs and towns in the eastern Beqaa region, areas considered Hezbollah strongholds.

Hamieh, who hails from Baalbek, has not yet publicly addressed his new appointment. He faced corruption allegations in 2023 that forced him to cancel a planned second terminal project at Beirut airport.

The decision has drawn criticism from Hezbollah’s political rivals and some Lebanese citizens, who view the appointment as an attempt to appease Hezbollah amid its significant losses and financial pressures following the war.

Others see it as a pragmatic choice given the geographic focus of reconstruction efforts and a way for Aoun to maintain a cautious approach to Hezbollah, as the president seeks to avoid confrontation while pushing for disarmament of all armed groups.

Some took to social media to express disappointment that the president was bringing back "old faces" to his administration, especially those tied to a group they blame for inflicting damage on the country and being part of the ruling establishment.

Supporters of Hezbollah have welcomed Hamieh’s appointment as a win for the group, which, despite its weakened state after the conflict, remains a heavyweight political force.

Hezbollah was once a dominating force in Lebanese politics but was severely weakened in the war, having lost thousands of its fighters, its senior command structure, and a significant part of its weapons stockpile.

Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam have committed to disarming the group and other militias, aiming for the state to have sole control over arms, as stipulated by the ceasefire agreement ending last year’s war.

Salam recently reported that 80 percent of south Lebanon has been disarmed, with the Lebanese army actively dismantling remaining sites.