EU blacklists Hezbollah 'military wing'

Google – AFP, Bryan McManus (AFP), 22 July 2013

Hezbollah militants hold a rally in Baalbek, eastern Lebanon (AFP/File,

Anwar Amro)

BRUSSELS — European Union foreign ministers on Monday added the military wing of the Lebanese Shiite group Hezbollah to its list of terrorist organisations despite Lebanon warning against such a move.

"In reaching this agreement, the EU has sent a clear message that it stands united against terrorism," British Foreign Secretary William Hague, whose country led efforts to blacklist members of Hezbollah, said at one-day talks in Brussels.

"It shows that no organisation can carry out terrorist acts on European soil, such as the appalling attack in Bulgaria one year ago, without facing the consequences," Hague said.

To get the agreement, ministers had to overcome reservations in some member states that such a move would further destabilise Lebanon where the Iranian-backed militant group plays a key role in politics and has dominated the government since 2011.

Cars drive past a model of a rocket used

 by Hezbollah fighters in southern Beirut,

 on August 12, 2007 (AFP/File, Anwar Amro)

Accordingly, EU political and economic ties with Lebanon will be fully maintained in a delicate balancing act.

Diplomatic sources highlighted the fact that the military wing alone was affected, after Hezbollah was blamed for the deadly attack on Israeli tourists in Bulgaria last year.

In March, a Hezbollah operative was also convicted in Cyprus of plotting a similar attack.

The EU measure will translate into sanctions including travel bans and asset freezes.

A draft of the meeting conclusions seen earlier by AFP noted that making use of "restrictive measures to combat terrorism does not prevent the continuation of dialogue with all political parties in Lebanon."

"Legitimate financial transfers" and aid will also not be affected, it added.

On Thursday, Lebanon asked Brussels not to blacklist Hezbollah on the grounds the militant group was an "essential component of Lebanese society."

Hezbollah fought a devastating war with Israel in 2006 and more recently has been providing military support to the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad as it tries to put down an insurgency that has escalated into civil war.

The decision to put the militia on the EU's list of terrorist groups required the unanimous consent of the bloc's 28 members.

Britain's Hague insisted that the move will "do nothing to affect the EU's and the UK's strong relationship with, and support for, Lebanon."

Analysts however were sceptical, saying it was virtually impossible to distinguish between the military and political wings of Hezbollah.

"It is the security wing, not the military, which is the most effective and the most dangerous in Hezbollah," said Waddah Charara, professor of sociology at Lebanese University.

"The EU move actually gives Hezbollah a lot of leeway, especially given that the party works in a secret fashion and operates through many channels," he added. "It also allows the EU to continue to have contacts with the 'political' Hezbollah."

The United States, Canada, Australia, Britain and the Netherlands had all previously blacklisted Hezbollah as a terror group separately.

Support for the EU sanctions against Hezbollah grew in recent weeks after the party admitted it was sending fighters to back Assad's regime.

Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah giving

 a televised address from an undisclosed

 location in Lebanon, on July 19, 2013 

(Al-Manar/AFP/File)

Israeli Justice Minister Tzipi Livni praised the EU decision, saying it was the right move.

"Finally, after years of deliberations, the claim that Hezbollah is a legitimate political party has rightfully failed.

"Now it is clear to the entire world that Hezbollah is a terrorist organisation", she said in a statement.

Arriving for the talks, EU ministers had also highlighted the possible resumption of stalled Israel-Palestinian talks after a major push by US Secretary of State John Kerry and the need to promote democracy in Egypt after the military ouster of the elected government.

EU foreign affairs head Catherine Ashton said the Middle East Peace Process and Egypt would be the other key issues.

"We will be looking to make sure that Egypt gets back on the path to democracy," she said, stressing that "this is about democracy, making sure that that happens."

Hague and other ministers also deplored the deterioration of the situation in Syria where regime forces have made inroads against the rebels who are torn by bloody infighting and growing extremism, prompting concerns they will lose the war.

At their last meeting in May, ministers led by Britain and France agreed to end the EU arms embargo on Syria to allow supplies to the rebels but not before August 1.