De facto, Hezbollah operatives are present and active within Zawtar al-Gharbiyeh (the pilot zone) under the auspices of the Lebanese Armed Forces, establishing a civilian foothold that will enable renewed military entrenchment at the next stage.
After identifying the entry of Hezbollah’s Islamic Health Organization into Zawtar al-Gharbiyeh under the auspices of the Lebanese Armed Forces, which deployed in the village (see our July 27 publication), in recent days we have also identified the entry into Zawtar al-Gharbiyeh of Hezbollah-affiliated “Cooperate with One Another” Association—“Wataawanou” Association Charity (جمعية “وتعاونوا” الخيرية). As with the Islamic Health Organization, the association’s entry into Zawtar al-Gharbiyeh is also taking place under the auspices of the Lebanese Armed Forces.
The association, which defines itself as “a charitable organization engaged in collecting donations and assisting those in need” is, in effect, one of Hezbollah’s civilian arms for creating social and economic influence and dependency among Lebanon’s population—not only among Shiites, but also in Sunni strongholds—which will enable Hezbollah to operate freely within its sphere of influence, in both civilian and terrorist-military domains.
Based on an analysis of open-source materials, it appears that the association entered the pilot zone in Zawtar al-Gharbiyeh as early as July 29 and established a temporary center for the village council and a service center “to support the residents’ return.” The association placed a structure in the central square for use by the local council. In addition, it placed a structure to provide food and daily meals to residents who had returned to the village and began mapping their basic needs.
On August 5, the association organized a mourning rally in the village in honor of Arbaeen, commemorating the death of Imam Hussein.
The association’s operatives cooperate with the Lebanese Armed Forces and Lebanese Civil Defense on the rehabilitation and cleanup work being carried out in the village.
The association, which makes no effort to conceal its affiliation with Hezbollah, serves as a platform for Hezbollah to raise donations for the rehabilitation of civilian and military infrastructure, including through an account at Hezbollah’s al-Qard al-Hasan bank, and has financial ties to Iran. The association is headed by Afif Shouman, known as “Abu al-Fadl.”
It should be recalled that since the first ceasefire in November 2024, the “Cooperate with One Another” Association has conducted a campaign to install dozens of mobile structures—similar to those it placed in Zawtar al-Gharbiyeh—throughout southern Lebanon. Ostensibly, the aim was to provide residents with “temporary housing solutions.” However, the campaign had an additional objective: to reintegrate and once again conceal Hezbollah’s military and intelligence-gathering activities in southern Lebanon and along the contact line. In fact, some of the structures installed by the association beginning in late 2024 and during the first months of 2025 were intended for Hezbollah’s military activity and as replacements for the network of structures deployed before the war by the “Green Without Borders” association and destroyed by the IDF. Some of the new structures deployed by the “Cooperate with Another” Association were also destroyed by the IDF.
