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Hezbollah expressed in a statement issued Monday evening firm rejection of the European Union’s decision to put its military wing on the list of terrorism, and considered it as “aggressive, unjust decision written with Zionist ink.” Hezbollah saw in the EU bowing to pressures of the US administration and the Zionist entity as a serious turnover in its compliance to the White House dictates. “It looks as if the decision was written by American hands with Zionist ink and the EU had only to put its seal for approval,” Hezbollah’s statement said. Hezbollah considered that this unjust decision does not reflect the interests of the peoples of the European Union “and comes in contrast with its values and aspirations that support the principles of freedom and independence, which it had always advocated.” “If the EU countries think they are booking its locations in our Arab and Islamic countries by submitting to the logic of U.S. blackmailing, we assure them that Washington had made similar decision and gained only further failures and disappointments,” the statement ended up saying. |
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| Reactions over the European Union’s decision to put Hezbollah’s military wing on terror list varied between welcomes and condemnations. Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi denounced the decisio  n, stressing it serves the interests of the Zionist entity.Iran "strongly denounces the (EU) decision... and believes (it) is in line with the illegitimate interests of the Zionist regime," the Iranian FM was quoted as saying by official media. "The European Union, due to lack of correct judgment about the regional crisis, took this wrong decision," Salehi said. The action, he added, is "against the Lebanese people since Hezbollah has put up a legitimate defense against the Zionists' aggressions," he added. US, Israel Welcome Move On the other hand, US Secretary of State John Kerry praised the EU decision, saying the move was a “strong message” to the party.  “We applaud the European Union for the important step it has taken today,” Kerry said in a statement. “With today’s action, the EU is sending a strong message to Hezbollah that it cannot operate with impunity, and that there are consequences for its actions, including last year’s deadly attack in Burgas, Bulgaria, and for plotting a similar attack in Cyprus,” he added. White House spokesman Jay Carney said the decision sends a strong message that Hezbollah “cannot operate with impunity.” He added that it should have an impact on Hezbollah’s fundraising, logistical activities and "terrorist plotting on foreign soil." Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also praised the decision, saying it reflects efforts made by the Zionist entity on many fronts to blacklist Hezbollah. | ||||
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Several Lebanese officials slammed a European Union decision to blacklist Hezbollah’s military wing, as they called the regional bloc to reconsider the move. Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri said the decision served Israeli interests. “This decision in terms of timing and content expresses contempt for justice,” Berri said in a statement, adding that the EU action was not matched with a clear cause. “The decision serves Israel free of charge,” he added.  Prime minister-designate Tammam Salam hoped the EU would reconsider its decision, saying that labeling Hezbollah as terrorist group further complicates Lebanon’s political crisis.“I hope the EU will reconsider its decision because such decision contradicts with the willingness of the countries of the European Union to help Lebanon overcome the complexities of its internal political situation, he said.  For his part, Lebanese caretaker Foreign Minister Adnan Mansour has called for an emergency cabinet session to take a stance from the decision.In remarks to several newspapers published on Tuesday, Mansour said: “The cabinet should hold an extraordinary session because this issue is linked to (Lebanon's) political life in general and would have repercussions” on the country. “We should take the appropriate decision,” he added. He warned that the Zionist entity would now find an EU-backed excuse to hit Hezbollah bases in Lebanon. Meanwhile, chairman of the Higher Shiite Council Abdul Amir Qabalan condemned the European Union’s decision. "We consider the EU decision an act of terrorism, and we call on the European Union to abolish this decision because it reflects injustice and avoidance," Qabalan said. | ||||
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EU Bows to US Pressure, Blacklists Military Wing of Hezbollah
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| European Union Foreign Ministers announced on Monday their countries’ submission to the pressure exerted by the United States to put the military wing of Hezbollah on the EU list of terrorist organizations. According to a European source, the decision was based to the "cause of formality" allegedly represented by the terrorist attack on the Bulgarian territory. A bus carrying tourists was targeted at the international airport in the city of Burgas in July 18 last year, claiming five Zionists out of seven people killed in the attack. Hezbollah strongly denied any responsibility for Burgas attack, but the US and the Zionist lobbies insist to blame the Lebanese party of Resistance which liberated most of the occupied Lebanese land in 2000 and defeated the Zionist killing machine in the July war 2006 the Zionist entity launched on Lebanon. Since then, Western powers have spared no effort to label Hezbollah as terrorist organization. | ||||
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