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US House of Representatives Urges EU to Designate 'Hezbollah' in its Entirety as Terrorist

US House of Representatives in session (Reuters)
US House of Representatives in session (Reuters)
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US House of Representatives Urges EU to Designate 'Hezbollah' in its Entirety as Terrorist

US House of Representatives in session (Reuters)
US House of Representatives in session (Reuters)

The US House of Representatives approved a resolution "urging the European Union to designate Hezbollah in its entirety as a terrorist organization."

The draft proposed by Democratic and Republican representatives aims to pressure the EU to follow the US and include Hezbollah's political wing in its terrorist lists.

The bill's sponsor, Representative Ted Deutch, said: "Hezbollah is a proxy for Iran. It's time for the EU to join the US, Germany, Argentina, the Arab League, and others in saying […] that it is one, a unified terrorist organization."

Deutch said that the approval of the House of Representatives of this resolution sends an "important message to our European allies: more can and must be done to counter the Iranian proxy (Hezbollah), which begins with calling them what they are: a terrorist organization in its entirety that is committed to the destruction of our ally Israel and continues to undermine the values and interests of both US and Europe."

The Rep. reiterated there is no difference between Hezbollah's branches, and the military wing cannot be separated from the political wing.

The Democratic representative called on the European Union to stop allowing Hezbollah's political wing to operate freely in some EU countries and join the United States in targeting the terrorist group and its global criminal networks.

For her part, Congresswoman Kathy Manning praised the bill, noting that Hezbollah is a "terrorist group responsible for thousands of civilian deaths, not just in the Middle East but around the globe."

The MPs urged the European Union to impose sanctions on all wings of the party and share intelligence information with the United States to end the party's influence in the region.

- The bill in details

The proposed draft resolution aims to obstruct Hezbollah's fundraising efforts to finance its terrorist activities worldwide and seeks to reduce the support it enjoys aiming to weaken it.

It recalled the sanctions imposed by the Department of the Treasury in July 2019 on two Hezbollah-backed lawmakers, Amin Sherri and Mohammad Hasan Raad, noting that the party uses its operatives in parliament to advance its violent activities.

It referred to Hezbollah's support to the Assad regime in Syria and the training it provides to thousands of militants in Iraq and Yemen, further destabilizing the region.

It also mentioned that Hezbollah activities continue to "plague Lebanon with profound economic and political instability and violence," indicating that in August 2020, at least 220 people died and thousands more were injured when a massive stockpile of ammonium nitrate exploded in Beirut's port.

The Department of the Treasury and Department of State estimate that Iran provides as much as $700 million annually to Hezbollah through financial and logistical support, weapons, and training.

The bill stated that Europol's June 2020 European Union Terrorism Situation and Trend Report outlined that Hezbollah is "suspected of trafficking diamonds and drugs and of money laundering via the trade in second-hand cars."

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Arab World

Baghdad Urges Washington to Prevent ‘Imminent’ Israeli Strikes

Sudani visiting a market in Baghdad on Thursday (Government media)
Sudani visiting a market in Baghdad on Thursday (Government media)
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Baghdad Urges Washington to Prevent ‘Imminent’ Israeli Strikes

Sudani visiting a market in Baghdad on Thursday (Government media)
Sudani visiting a market in Baghdad on Thursday (Government media)

Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani on Thursday called on major powers to “exert greater efforts to end the war in Palestine and Lebanon.” Meanwhile, an Iraqi government official urged the United States to “prevent any attacks on the country,” referring to potential Israeli strikes.
During a phone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Al-Sudani stressed the importance of ensuring the conflict does not escalate “to a level that threatens regional and global stability.”
The Iraqi prime minister’s appeal comes amid reports suggesting that Israel may launch strikes on Iraq in retaliation for attacks by Iraqi armed factions targeting Israeli positions.
The Iraqi government is striving to assert its exclusive authority over weapons and war-related decisions. However, armed factions affiliated with the Axis of Resistance openly claim responsibility for near-daily rocket attacks on Israel. This has provided Israel with a justification for potentially targeting Iraqi territory, especially after it filed a complaint with the UN Security Council against six Iraqi factions and held Baghdad responsible for the attacks.
These factions have also openly declared their involvement in the ongoing conflict with Israel in Lebanon and Gaza. The Iraqi government has been unable to take decisive action to halt the activities of these factions, which many believe could soon expose Iraq to an Israeli strike.
According to media reports, Washington has warned Baghdad that Israeli airstrikes on Iraq are “imminent” unless the Iraqi government curtails attacks by Iranian-backed factions on Israel. The Times of Israel cited sources indicating that the United States has “exhausted all means of pressure on Israel” and urged Iraq to act swiftly to prevent such attacks.
Despite repeated assurances from the Iraqi government—including its recent adoption of 12 measures by the National Security Council to counter Israeli threats and complaints—the situation remains tense. These measures include monitoring Iraq’s western borders, preventing factions from launching attacks, and maintaining Iraq’s neutrality in the ongoing conflict.
On Wednesday, Abu Hussein Al-Hamidawi, Secretary-General of Kata’ib Hezbollah, made a striking statement on the role of resistance factions in the war and their commitment to the Unity of Fronts doctrine frequently mentioned by Axis of Resistance groups.
In an interview published by the faction’s media arm, Al-Hamidawi said: “The continuity of the Unity of Fronts concept depends on what the Lebanese Hezbollah decides.”
Al-Hamidawi also emphasized that resistance factions are constantly coordinating internally and with external partners such as Hezbollah, the Houthis, and Palestinian resistance leaders.
“We aim to ensure that the Palestinian people are not left alone and that the Unity of Fronts remains intact,” he stated.
Fadi Al-Shammari, a political advisor to Sudani, reiterated that Israel’s threats “are not new,” citing the recent complaint filed by Israel with the UN Security Council as part of its pattern of issuing threats.
In media statements, Al-Shammari reaffirmed the Iraqi government’s long-standing position: “The decision of war and peace lies solely with the Iraqi government.”
He noted that the factions’ attacks are being launched from areas outside Iraq’s borders, specifically from Syria. However, he stressed that the Iraqi government is working through its security and military agencies to prevent Iraq from becoming a battlefield for external or internal parties.
Al-Shammari also called on the United States to fulfill its responsibilities under the Strategic Framework Agreement and security pact with Iraq, emphasizing the need to deter and respond to any external attacks that threaten Iraq’s internal security.