Tunisia: Ennahda Accuses Parties of Spreading Lies about Ghannouchi’s Health

Parliament Speaker Rached Ghannouchi in his office, in Tunis (file photo: Reuters)
Parliament Speaker Rached Ghannouchi in his office, in Tunis (file photo: Reuters)
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Tunisia: Ennahda Accuses Parties of Spreading Lies about Ghannouchi’s Health

Parliament Speaker Rached Ghannouchi in his office, in Tunis (file photo: Reuters)
Parliament Speaker Rached Ghannouchi in his office, in Tunis (file photo: Reuters)

Head of Ennahda Movement and Speaker Rached Ghannouchi has been reportedly transferred to the military hospital in Tunis after his health deteriorated.

However, Ennahda denied the rumors, asserting Ghannouchi, 79, is fine and carrying out his constitutional duties.

MP Maher Medhioub, the Speaker's aide, affirmed that Ghannouchi is "in good health and practicing his duties," stressing that media reports about any change in the speakership is untrue.

Mohammed Goumani, member of Ennahda's executive office, told Asharq Al-Awsat that the rumors about Ghannouchi's health fall within the recurring attempts by “parties and figures who lack credibility" to confuse the public.

These accusations come in the wake of a petition led by opposition MP Mongi Rahoui to withdraw confidence from Ghannouchi.

Rahoui asserted that the petition now has over 104 signatories, which means that only five more are required to reach the majority to remove Ghannouchi from his post.

The MP, who is also a member of the politburo of Democratic Patriots' Unified Party, renewed his call to the Public Prosecution to take action against threats and the defamation campaign launched against him.

He believes that a number of Ennahda members and lawmakers are behind the threats after he demanded an investigation into the wealth of some of the movement's leaders.

He explained that this falls under "illicit enrichment" and requires the intervention of the National Anti-Corruption Commission.

The lawmaker indicated that the defamation campaigns targeting him were launched on social media pages supported by Ennahda.



Hezbollah Urges Lebanese State to Push for Israel’s Pullout

A United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) vehicle drives as residents who were displaced because of the hostilities between Hezbollah and Israel return to the Lebanese village of Khiam, near the border with Israel, southern Lebanon, January 23, 2025. REUTERS/Karamallah Daher
A United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) vehicle drives as residents who were displaced because of the hostilities between Hezbollah and Israel return to the Lebanese village of Khiam, near the border with Israel, southern Lebanon, January 23, 2025. REUTERS/Karamallah Daher
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Hezbollah Urges Lebanese State to Push for Israel’s Pullout

A United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) vehicle drives as residents who were displaced because of the hostilities between Hezbollah and Israel return to the Lebanese village of Khiam, near the border with Israel, southern Lebanon, January 23, 2025. REUTERS/Karamallah Daher
A United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) vehicle drives as residents who were displaced because of the hostilities between Hezbollah and Israel return to the Lebanese village of Khiam, near the border with Israel, southern Lebanon, January 23, 2025. REUTERS/Karamallah Daher

Hezbollah said on Thursday that Israel has to completely withdraw from Lebanon as the 60-day period in a ceasefire deal comes to an end, adding that the Lebanese state should push for guarantee for the withdrawal.

The Iran-backed group also said in a statement that it was following developments and any breach to the agreement would not be accepted.

Israel and Hezbollah agreed in November to an American- and French-mediated ceasefire, bringing an end to more than a year of fighting. Under the deal, Israeli forces were to withdraw from Lebanon and Hezbollah forces were to withdraw from south of the Litani river over the 60-day period ending next Monday morning.

Hezbollah said in its statement that it was the Lebanese state’s responsibility to act and press the countries sponsoring the ceasefire agreement should Israel delay its military pullout from south Lebanon.

Caretaker National Defense Minister Maurice Sleem on Thursday met with acting Army Commander Major General Hassan Audi at his office in Yarzeh to discuss the situation in southern Lebanon and the implementation stages of the ceasefire arrangements.

Sleem reaffirmed Lebanon's firm position on the necessity of the Israeli troop withdrawal from the South in line with the ceasefire deadline of January 26.

Speaker Nabih Berri also discussed the matter with head of the Ceasefire Monitoring Committee, US General Jasper Jeffers, in Ain al-Tineh.

Discussions reportedly focused on developments on the Israeli withdrawal from remaining occupied territories in southern Lebanon, as well as Israeli violations of the ceasefire agreement and UN Resolution 1701.