Brussels, 25/07/2013 (Agence Europe) - On Thursday 25 July, the Council of Ministers of the EU added the military wing of Hezbollah to the EU's list of persons, groups and entities involved in acts of terrorism - in line with the agreement of EU foreign affairs ministers on 22 July (see EUROPE 10893).
From now on, the armed wing of Hezbollah will be subject to an assets freeze in the EU and to strengthened police and judicial cooperation between the member states as part of their related investigations and proceedings. The legal acts were adopted on 25 July by written procedure and will be published in the Official Journal of the EU on 26 July. The decision will be re-assessed every six months.
At the same time, in a joint statement, the European Commission and Council recall that this decision “does not prevent the continuation of dialogue with all political parties in Lebanon”, including the political wing of Hezbollah. They also underline that this decision “does not affect the delivery of assistance to Lebanon” - including humanitarian assistance from the EU and its member states. The EU remains fully committed the stability of the country, the statement says.
No effect according to head of Hezbollah. On 25 July, the head of Hezbollah, Hassan Nasrallah, said that the EU's decision will not have any impact. Europe can “take back the visas” that “it gives us”, he said in a televised speech. “We don't have money in Europe and we don't have industrial or trade projects in Lebanon or abroad so this decision does not impact in this area”, he said. Inclusion on the list of terrorist organisations does not result in a ban on visas. According to Nasrallah, with this decision, the European states “have made themselves fully responsible for any Israeli attack against Lebanon, against the Lebanese resistance (Ed: Hezbollah), or against any other target of this resistance” (our translation). He stated that the decision will only bring failure and disappointment to Europe. In his view, the EU states must know that they are giving legal cover to any attack against Lebanon, because Israel can now state that it is fighting terrorism and that it is bombing terrorist targets. Nasrallah concluded that the European decision plays right into the hands of Israel. (CG/transl.fl)