LONDON (Press Release) — British Home Secretary Sajid Javid initiated action on Monday that will designate Hezbollah as a terrorist organization in its entirety. The order is effective March 1, pending Parliament approval.
“Hezbollah is continuing in its attempts to destabilize the fragile situation in the Middle East – and we are no longer able to distinguish between their already banned military wing and the political party. Because of this, I have taken the decision to proscribe the group in its entirety,” said Javid.
“The British government’s action exposes the falsehood, especially in much of Europe, of a ‘bifurcated’ Hezbollah. Even Hezbollah leader Nasrallah has stated there is no difference between the group’s ‘political’ and ‘military’ wings. They are one and the same,” said American Jewish Committee (AJC) CEO David Harris, who has met with many European leaders on this issue. “All European governments should follow Britain’s recognition of Hezbollah’s reality and take appropriate steps to correct misguided policy.”
Thanks to the leadership of Bulgaria and Cyprus, supported by the UK and Netherlands, the EU declared in 2013 that Hezbollah’s “military wing” is a terrorist organization. Britain was, in fact, the first European government to make that distinction and designation in 2008.
In light of Hezbollah’s global campaign of violence and terror, AJC has long advocated labeling it a terrorist organization and applying sanctions against it. The United States, Canada, Netherlands, Israel, Arab League and Gulf Cooperation Council have fully designated Hezbollah as a terrorist organization. — From American Jewish Committee