Britain to List Hezbollah's Political Wing as a 'Terrorist Group'

The British government announced on Monday, February 25, that it will add Hezbollah's political wing to its list of 'terrorist groups' due to the destabilizing activities of the Lebanese group in the Middle East. Britain had previously designated Hezbollah's external security wing as a terrorist organization in 2001 and its military wing in 2008, and this new decision aims to classify the political branch as well. According to Reuters, Sajid Javid, the British Home Secretary, stated, 'Hezbollah continues its actions to destabilize the fragile situation in the Middle East, and we can no longer distinguish between the banned military wing and the political section of the group.' He added, 'For this reason, I have decided to list the entirety of this group.' The United States has long listed Hezbollah as a terrorist organization and recently expressed concern over its increasing role in the new Lebanese government. Hezbollah representatives in the Lebanese parliament described this stance as a 'violation of Lebanon's independence.' The British government's decision, which will take effect on Friday, requires parliamentary approval. Under this law, members of Hezbollah and individuals who support it or encourage others to support it will commit a crime, punishable by up to 10 years in prison. The British government explained that Hezbollah is violating United Nations resolutions by adding to its arsenal and prolonging the Syrian civil war and the violent suppression of the people of that country by supporting Bashar al-Assad's regime. Reuters adds that Hezbollah has not yet responded to the British government's decision, but Israel, Hezbollah's long-time enemy, thanked the British Home Secretary and urged other EU countries to take the same action. Gilad Erdan, Israel's Minister of Public Security, wrote on Twitter, 'All those who truly want to fight terrorism must discard the false distinction between the political and military wings. Now the European Union must also make a similar decision.' Of the 30 ministries in the new Lebanese government, three are controlled by Hezbollah, the highest number to date. The group has expanded its activities by participating in multiple military conflicts in the region, including the Syrian civil war. Hezbollah has become a controversial topic in British domestic politics, with Jeremy Corbyn, the leader of the Labour Party, having previously described the group as a friend. Last week, British Prime Minister Theresa May stated in parliament that 'Mr. Corbyn's Labour Party considers Hezbollah and Hamas friends and Israel and the United States enemies.'