BERLIN – The Israeli government is redoubling its efforts to convince the
European Union to outlaw Hezbollah within the 27-member body because of the
Lebanese group’s record of terrorism.
According to reports in the Hebrew
media, Israel’s new case involves showing Hezbollah’s role in the 2005 murder of
Lebanese president Rafik Hariri, based on evidence culled from the international
tribunal that investigated the bombing.
US Congresswoman Ileana
Ros-Lehtinen, the Republican head of the House Foreign Affairs Committee,
tweeted on Monday that “Europe’s logic is baffling! It’s time 4 Europe 2 call
Hezbollah what it is: a Terrorist Organization.”
In 2005, the EU
parliament issued a resolution condemning Hezbollah for its terror activities in
connection with Hariri’s murder. Policy- and lawmakers within the EU have
ignored the resolution.
Israel is slated to reveal documentary material
about Hezbollah’s role in destabilizing Syria and joining forces with Bashar
Assad’s regime in the ongoing campaign to obliterate that country’s pro-reform
movement. Hezbollah’s narcotics and money-laundering operations are part of
Israel’s dossier.
According to Ma’ariv, Hezbollah’s 2000 kidnapping of
Elhanan Tannenbaum is part of the documentation.
Tannenbaum, an Israeli
businessman and a reserve colonel in the IDF, was released as part of a prisoner
exchange in 2004.
Israel’s Foreign Ministry is concerned about a number
of European objections. The Europeans believe Hezbollah, like Hamas, will
challenge a ban in European courts based on insufficient evidence. The EU
included Hamas in its terror list in 2003, but Hamas has challenged the ruling.
The EU court in Luxembourg is expected to rule on the ban.
Germany, where
there are 950 active Hezbollah members, and France have showed no interest in a
Hezbollah ban.