BICOM

A request by the UK government for the European Union (EU) to place the military wing of Hezbollah on its’ list of terrorist organisations faced opposition from some EU member states during an initial discussion on the issue yesterday in Brussels. 

The UK currently classifies Hezbollah’s military arm as a terrorist entity, while the Netherlands is the only other European country to take such a step, proscribing the entire organisation. Last month, the UK lodged a formal request for an EU-wide ban, which would likely seriously hamper Hezbollah’s financial and logistical capability. However, all twenty seven EU member states must reach a consensus for such a measure to become binding, with further talks set to take place over the coming two weeks.

Although yesterday’s meeting was held behind closed doors, media reports suggest that several governments, in particular Italy, expressed concern that proscribing Hezbollah would increase instability within Lebanon. Reuters quotes an unnamed diplomat who said that “The issue of political and security consequences” in Lebanon was raised.

In addition, some member states requested further evidence linking Hezbollah to a bus bomb in the Bulgarian resort of Burgas which killed five Israeli tourists last July. A Bulgarian investigation found that Hezbollah was responsible for the attack after a lengthy enquiry. In March a Cypriot court convicted a Hezbollah operative with dual Swedish-Lebanese nationality of helping plan an attack on Israeli tourists on the island. Hezbollah has also been at the forefront of an offensive by Syrian President Assad’s forces to capture the town of Qusair during the past week.

Meanwhile, Israel Hayom this morning reports that Hezbollah is making a concerted attempt to open a military front against Israel on the Golan Heights border with Syria.