Lithuania Designates Hezbollah a Terror Organization
13 August, 2020 |
4 years ago
Jerusalem, 13 August, 2020 (TPS) -- Israeli Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi congratulated the Lithuanian government for its decision to recognize Hezbollah, in all its branches, as a terrorist organization, lauding it as “a courageous and important decision to maintain regional stability.”
The Lithuanian Foreign Ministry stated Thursday that “having taken into consideration the information acquired by our institutions and partners, we may conclude that Hezbollah uses terrorist means that pose threat to the security of a significant number of countries, including Lithuania.”
Lithuania’s Foreign Minister Linas Linkevičius stated that his country “appreciates the successful cooperation between the Lithuanian and Israeli national security agencies. We are thankful to these institutions for their significant work in helping ensure the safety of our citizens.”
Hezbollah operatives and affiliated persons are now banned from entering Lithuania. The ban is valid for 10 years.
“It is important to note that we support peaceful people of Lebanon and their wish for their country to implement necessary reforms,” added Linkevičius.
Ashkenazi spoke with Linkevičius and personally thanked him for the Lithuanian government’s decision.
“Hezbollah is a terrorist organization that has imposed terror in large parts of Lebanon and turned them into Iranian-protected areas while taking Lebanese citizens, it’s economy and its political system hostage,” Ashkenazi stated.
Lithuania’s decision to recognize is “important and necessary, and it is good that there is agreement among many European countries on the subject.”
He called on all European countries, as well as the European Union, to join this decision and understand that Hezbollah is “a dangerous and unstoppable terrorist organization that continues its attempts to carry out terrorist attacks around the world, dispatched and funded by Iran.”
Hezbollah was established in 1985 during the Lebanese civil war and is committed to the destruction of the State of Israel. It is funded and supported by Iran.
Israel, the Netherlands, the US, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Canada, Saudi Arabia, Japan, Colombia, Honduras, Argentina, Paraguay, the United Kingdom, and Germany have all banned Hezbollah.
Some other countries, including the European Union, have banned Hezbollah military wing, but not its political wing, which is very powerful in Lebanon.
