Honduras designates Hezbollah as terrorist organization

Honduras has warm relations with Israel, recently opening a trade office in Jerusalem after a visit by President Hernández and recognizing Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.

JANUARY 8, 2020 16:55

Members of Hezbollah march with party's flags during a rally marking al-Quds Day, (Jerusalem Day) in Beirut (photo credit: REUTERS) — Members of Hezbollah march with party's flags during a rally marking al-Quds Day, (Jerusalem Day) in Beirut

(photo credit: REUTERS)

Honduras is designating Lebanese Shi’ite group Hezbollah a terrorist organization, the office of Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernández announced Tuesday.

“Honduras joins Guatemala and other countries in announcing that Hezbollah will be declared an international terrorist organization nationwide,” it said in a statement.

Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz praised the decision, saying, “I applaud the Honduran government for its important decision to declare Hezbollah as a terrorist organization and to take the necessary sanctions against it."

“This is an important step in the worldwide war against terrorism,” he said, adding that Israel is in talks with other countries, including Germany, Australia and Brazil, about making such declarations.

Katz said he hoped such countries “will act similarly and join the effort against the terrorism led by Iran and its proxies in the Middle East and throughout the world.”

Honduras has warm relations with Israel. Last year, it opened a trade office in Jerusalem after a visit by President Hernández and recognized Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. It is said to be planning to move its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, as Guatemala did in 2018.

Hezbollah has been designated a terrorist organization by several countries, including the US, UK, Canada and Israel, as well as Honduras’s Latin American neighbors Argentina, Paraguay and Guatemala.

It is believed to be very active in the porous tri-border area in South America where Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay meet and where funds for its operations are raised.

The US has urged its Latin American allies to declare Hezbollah a terrorist organization to significantly impact its financing from foreign sources.

Herb Kenion contributed to this article.