EU Likely To Call Hezbollah Military Wing Terrorist Organization

Damage: A truck carrying the bus that was damaged in a terrorist attack, outside Burgas Airport, Bulgaria Image by Haaretz

By Haaretz/Barak Ravid July 15, 2013

The foreign ministers of the European Union are most likely to add Hezbollah’s military wing to the body’s list of designated terror organizations when they meet on July 22, according to high-ranking Foreign Ministry officials in Jerusalem.

The officials said Britain and the United States are pressing several EU countries that are reluctant to back such a move.

Deputy Foreign Minister Zeev Elkin on Sunday convened a special meeting at the Foreign Ministry to discuss efforts to include Hezbollah on the EU’s list of terrorist groups. One senior Foreign Ministry official said EU institutions are expected to conduct several meetings on the matter in the coming days.

A team of experts from the 27-member EU are expected to meet for the third time on Thursday (July 18). In recent weeks, these experts have tried to formulate a unified position on the issue to present to the foreign ministers for discussion.

Meanwhile, the EU Foreign Affairs Council (comprising EU member state ministers responsible for foreign affairs and defense issues) is scheduled to meets in Brussels just a few days later, on July 22.The council is expected to hold a meeting on the Hezbollah question and reach a decision, even if the team of experts does not reach a consensus.

Read more at Haaretz.com.

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