EU: Hizbullah not terrorists

The European Union refused to add Hizbullah to its list of terrorist organizations. In a response given to a letter written and signed by members of Congress, the EU said, for the time being, they will not put a "terrorist" label on the group.

"Given the sensitive situation, I don't think this is something we will be acting on now," Finnish Foreign Minister Erkki Tuomioja, told a news conference following an emergency meeting of EU foreign ministers in Brussels.

www.ynetnews.com...

Have they not included them for political reasons? Or does the EU truely not believe that Hizbullah is a terrorist group? And what does it take for them to include an organization in their 'list'? Declairing the intent on the destruction of another country, or just acts of terror... like kidnapping soldiers and launching rockets... ?

Hezbollah has certainly committed terrorist acts, to declare them a "terrorist organization" is probably an oversimplification. For example, unlike Islamic Jihad or even Hamas, they haven't launched suicide attacks inside Israel that I'm aware of, certainly not recently.

They've launched rockets into Israel, Israel has dropped bombs on Lebanon.
They've captured Israeli soldiers, the Israelis have captured Hezbollah guerillas.

They are not a terrorist organization in the sense that Al Quaeda or Islamic Jihad is: the vast bulk of Hezbollah's political organization is not an armed force. They are a political party, a social services organization, a guerilla army, and yes, a terrorist group, all rolled into one. To imagine that they're a single purpose terrorist group, though, is to seriously underestimate them.

Someone doesn't need to launch suicide attacks to be terrorist. There are other ways to do it, those rockets fired on Israel (and not only during this war for those who think it's just defense) are definitely examples of terrorism.

Originally posted by xmotex
Hezbollah has certainly committed terrorist acts, to declare them a "terrorist organization" is probably an oversimplification. For example, unlike Islamic Jihad or even Hamas, they haven't launched suicide attacks inside Israel that I'm aware of, certainly not recently.

They've launched rockets into Israel, Israel has dropped bombs on Lebanon.
They've captured Israeli soldiers, the Israelis have captured Hezbollah guerillas.

They are not a terrorist organization in the sense that Al Quaeda or Islamic Jihad is: the vast bulk of Hezbollah's political organization is not an armed force. They are a political party, a social services organization, a guerilla army, and yes, a terrorist group, all rolled into one. To imagine that they're a single purpose terrorist group, though, is to seriously underestimate them.

I do remember one suicide attack - 243 Marines died...Hizbollah first such terrorist attack 1983...
And maybe we can add the bombing of the jewish cultural center in Buenos Aires as terrorist attack...
The EU need middle eastern oil or are simply invertebrates...

The political body of Hizbullah was not added to the list, but Hizbullah are not your typical terrorist group. They are a private army at the end of the day, they are nothing like Hamas or the old PLO. But its strange that they are not on the list..

But, i have the upated (May 06) list from the EU

www.statewatch.org...

Some groups who will catch your eye,

- Real IRA
- ETA
- Hamas