(Monday, February 25, 2019) – The European Jewish Congress (EJC) has welcomed the draft order from the British Home Office, laid in the UK Parliament today, which will proscribe Hezbollah in its entirety. Subject to Parliament’s approval, from Friday 1 March when the order comes into effect, being a member, or inviting support for Hezbollah will be a criminal offence, carrying a sentence of up to 10 years’ imprisonment.
“This is an extremely welcome development as it no longer recognises the purely artificial and dangerous separation between Hezbollah’s military and political wing,” Dr. Moshe Kantor, President of the EJC, said. “Hezbollah, as a proxy of Iran, is one of the most destablising elements in the region and we have seen it sew death in destruction in Syria during recent years.”
“It remains one of the main threats to Israel and has repeatedly expressed it desire to destroy the Jewish State and kill innocent civilians. This action by the British Government could save many lives.”
Hezbollah’s External Security Organisation and its military wing including the Jihad Council were already proscribed in 2001 and 2008 respectively.
The British Government has taken the decision to proscribe Hezbollah in its entirety because it says that it is no longer tenable to distinguish between the military and political wings of Hezbollah.