Ya Libnan

EU ministers agree to list Hezbollah as a terrorist group

Share:

hezbollah parade def 5EU foreign ministers have agreed to list the military wing of Lebanese militant group Hezbollah as a terrorist organisation.

The move required the agreement of all 28 of the EU’s member states.

It will now become illegal for Hezbollah sympathisers in Europe to send the group money or for European diplomats to meet its militant staff.

Some member states had been wary of the measure, saying it could further destabilise the situation in Lebanon.

The BBC’s Chris Morris in Brussels says some states had also argued it would be difficult to distinguish fully between the group’s military and political wings.

‘Essential component’
Hezbollah has a powerful political organisation and, along with its allies, dominated the last Lebanese cabinet, which resigned in March.

EU officials had reportedly been proposing a compromise to satisfy more sceptical members – a statement that the bloc “should continue dialogue with all political parties in Lebanon”.

The Lebanese government had on Friday urged Brussels not to move against Hezbollah, describing the militant group as an “essential component of Lebanese society”.

But the group’s involvement in the war across the border in Syria, in support of President Bashar al-Assad, has hardened European opinion, our correspondent says.

Countries that support the EU move say there is compelling evidence that Hezbollah was responsible for a bomb attack against Israeli tourists in Bulgaria last year in which six people died. The group denies any involvement.

In February, Bulgaria handed the EU’s police agency the names of two people it suspected of involvement in the attack. Bulgarian officials said they believed the two men were Hezbollah members.

EU diplomats also point to a court case in Cyprus, where a Hezbollah operative was found guilty of planning attacks against Israeli citizens.

Hossam Taleb Yaccoub, 24, said he had been asked to record information about Israeli flights arriving on the island, and registration plates of buses carrying tourists from Israel. He said he did not know what the information was intended for.

Hezbollah has already been blacklisted by the United States, Canada, Australia, the UK and the Netherlands.

BBC

Share:

Comments

16 responses to “EU ministers agree to list Hezbollah as a terrorist group”

  1. 5thDrawer Avatar
    5thDrawer

    Similar to the Irish ‘problem’ … the ‘wings’ become ‘defined’ first. Maybe in another 60 or 100 years the natural-born killers in the bunch can be weeded out, some education can occur, and some real peace can ensue. It’s a faint hope …

  2. 5thDrawer Avatar
    5thDrawer

    Similar to the Irish ‘problem’ … the ‘wings’ become ‘defined’ first. Maybe in another 60 or 100 years the natural-born killers in the bunch can be weeded out, some education can occur, and some real peace can ensue. It’s a faint hope …

  3. The real lebanese Avatar
    The real lebanese

    Should we expect more explosions in Europe?

    1. cook Avatar
      cook

      If anything UNIFIL in South Lebanon would be targeted

  4. The real lebanese Avatar
    The real lebanese

    Should we expect more explosions in Europe?

    1. cook2half Avatar
      cook2half

      If anything UNIFIL in South Lebanon would be targeted

  5. JS_Bach Avatar
    JS_Bach

    This makes it sound as if Hizbullah’s “political wing” (if such a thing exists) is a civilized, peace-loving entity while its “military wing” (if such a thing exists) has a mind of its own. It’s not like Hizbullah has “departments” with different or competing agendas, visions or outlooks. Hizbullah is one, uniform entity.

    Most Hizbullah politicians today are either ex-fighters themselves or have “military wing” members in their families, from their own sons to their own brothers, brothers-in-law, uncles … etc.

    Who decides that “It is time to assassinate Hariri—let’s do it”? The “military wing” does that on its own while some “political wing” is oblivious or disapproves? Who decides “Get rid of Wissam Hassan” or “Wipe Gibran Tueini” or “Shutdown Boutros Harb”? A group of pure soldiers do that on their own in the shadows while their “political” masters are appalled, outraged, shocked and terrified when they find out?

    I do get the gist of the resolution: To send a somewhat strong message (28 countries!) while keeping a channel of communication open. And that is a much smarter and more productive/constructive method than the Bush/US doctrine: Black, or white; with us, or against us.

    So I get the idea, I really do, but at the same time I cannot but register how weird and ridiculous the whole thing sounds. I’m not sure what the resolution would exactly inflict—on the ground—in terms of real repercussions that HA would actually feel.

    1. man-o-war Avatar
      man-o-war

      Almost every political party in Lebanon has “ex-fighters” posing as politicians.

      1. JS_Bach Avatar
        JS_Bach

        Correct. Ex. Not current. HA is the only party in Lebanon with a full-blown military power/prowess behind it that puts the country’s own military and police forces to shame.

        1. man-o-war Avatar
          man-o-war

          Are you suggesting that HA politicians are also current fighters in the militia? How do you know this? I’m willing to bet all the major political parties in Lebanon have a secret weapon stockpile, my opinion only and no facts to back this up.

          A question that needs to be asked is why? Why is HA more powerful militarily than the LAF? The west want to arm the rebels to counter HA threat, but won’t arm the LAF to counter HA.

          HA political party represent the Shi’ite population in Lebanon. Until there is another group willing to represent this constituency they will remain relevant.

  6. JS_Bach Avatar
    JS_Bach

    This makes it sound as if Hizbullah’s “political wing” (if such a thing exists) is a civilized, peace-loving entity while its “military wing” (if such a thing exists) has a mind of its own. It’s not like Hizbullah has “departments” with different or competing agendas, visions or outlooks. Hizbullah is one, uniform entity.

    Most Hizbullah politicians today are either ex-fighters themselves or have “military wing” members in their families, from their own sons to their own brothers, brothers-in-law, uncles … etc.

    Who decides that “It is time to assassinate Hariri—let’s do it”? The “military wing” does that on its own while some “political wing” is oblivious or disapproves? Who decides “Get rid of Wissam Hassan” or “Wipe Gibran Tueini” or “Shutdown Boutros Harb”? A group of pure soldiers do that on their own in the shadows while their “political” masters are appalled, outraged, shocked and terrified when they find out?

    I do get the gist of the resolution: To send a somewhat strong message (28 countries!) while keeping a channel of communication open. And that is a much smarter and more productive/constructive method than the Bush/US doctrine: Black, or white; with us, or against us.

    So I get the idea, I really do, but at the same time I cannot but notice how weird and ridiculous the whole thing sounds. I’m not sure what the resolution would exactly inflict—on the ground—in terms of real repercussions that HA would actually feel.

    1. man-o-war Avatar
      man-o-war

      Almost every political party in Lebanon has “ex-fighters” posing as politicians.

      1. JS_Bach Avatar
        JS_Bach

        Correct. Ex. Not current.

        1. man-o-war Avatar
          man-o-war

          Are you suggesting that HA politicians are also current fighters in the militia? How do you know this? I’m willing to bet all the major political parties in Lebanon have a secret weapon stockpile, my opinion only and no facts to back this up.

          A question that needs to be asked is why? Why is HA more powerful militarily than the LAF? The west want to arm the rebels to counter HA threat, but won’t arm the LAF to counter HA.

          HA political party represent the Shi’ite population in Lebanon. Until there is another group willing to represent this constituency they will remain relevant.

  7. vasile grasu Avatar
    vasile grasu

    feeding dr.jackill will feed also mr. hyde..by the way,do they have a political wing?

  8. vasile grasu Avatar
    vasile grasu

    feeding dr.jackill will feed also mr. hyde..by the way,do they have a political wing?

Leave a Reply