STA, 30 November 2020 - The government has declared the Lebanon-based political party Hezbollah as a criminal and terrorist organisation that represents a threat to peace and security. The work of Hezbollah is intertwined with organised crime and terrorist or paramilitary activity at the global level, the government said on Monday.
The decision was taken after the government was acquainted with a report on the activities and modus operandi of Hezbollah by the government's permanent coordination group for restrictive measures.
The EU placed Hezbollah's paramilitary wing, the Jihad Council, among terrorist organisations in 2013, while several member states, including the Netherlands and Germany, have labelled the entire organisation group as terrorist.
Outside the EU, the Shia Islamist movement has been labelled a terrorist organisation in its entirety by the US and Israel, among others.
Hezbollah was established in 1982 in Lebanon to fight the Israeli invasion of the country. Clashes with the Israeli forces continued after the occupation ended, primarily with acts of terrorism.
Iran is meanwhile one of the main supporters of Hezbollah and its fight against Israel as one of the main adversaries of Iran.
