Following, the corona crisis, There is a struggle for control between Hezbollah and the Amal movement, mainly over taking responsibility and medical treatment for the crisis.
The Amal movement seems to have realized (somewhat belatedly) that Hezbollah is succeeding in gaining much sympathy among the Shiite population, in light of its conduct during the plague.
The Amal movement, which is also supported by quite a few members of the Shiite population, understood that it must act actively to maintain its support.
While Hezbollah has so far exclusively dealt with the burial of the dead from Corona through the Islamic Health Organization, the Amal movement has also begun working on the issue through the Al-Rissala Scouts Association. The Al-Rissala Scout Association operates mainly in villages loyal to the Amal movement, in which it controls decision-making in the municipality.
A field hospital sent from Qatar was to be deployed in Tyre, but technical reasons prevented this. While Health Minister Hamad Hassan (Hezbollah) was hospitalized for Covid-19, Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri (Amal) announced that the hospital would be relocated to Beirut.
This announcement by Berry was a clear message: the Amal movement is managing the health projects in Tire and no one else, not even the Minister of Health…
Nabih Berri’s order to move the field hospital to Beirut provoked considerable anger in Hezbollah, its supporters launched a “shaming” campaign against the Amal movement and Berri on social media.
In addition to the transfer of the hospital, the municipal association of Tyre, which is controlled by Amal, announced the preparation of intensive care units at Qana Hospital. The Amal Movement Health Bureau provided the oxygen tanks.
In response, Health Minister Hamad Hassan changed the distribution of PCR devices to hospitals in the south and transferred them from Qana Hospital, whose director is affiliated with the Amal movement, to Rashaya Hospital, which is affiliated with Hezbollah.
There is no doubt that the Corona sharpens the competition and covert rivalry that exists within the “Shiite duo.” Almost daily, tensions erupt between supporters of the Amal movement and Hezbollah supporters, both physically on the street and social media, exposing the fragile relations within the “Shiite duo” and their “relationship crisis”…
Another incident in this rivalry here: The Shiite Duo – Not Always a Duo
In our opinion, the competition and rivalry will not escalate beyond the existing situation and will remain under control, since the escalation does not serve the interests of both Hezbollah and the Amal movement.
For Hezbollah, the presentation of the narrative of “Shiite unity” despite everything, is extremely important and Hezbollah will do everything to preserve this narrative.
