US Ambassador to Germany Richard Grenell on Wednesday urged the European Union to designate Hezbollah as a terrorist organization
The Shiite group, which serves as Iran's proxy in Lebanon, has been designated as a terrorist organization by several western countries, including the US, the UK, Canada, Argentina, Paraguay, and Israel, as well as Arab League member Bahrain. Some countries, such as Australia, France and Germany, only classify Hezbollah's military wing as a terrorist organization.
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Writing an opinion piece for Politico, Grenell wrote, "The European Union should follow the German parliament's lead and recognize Hezbollah in its entirety as a terrorist organization."
"The US is resolute in its efforts to stop the spread of Hezbollah's terror, but we cannot contain the threat on our own. As with similar challenges, the US requires the support of its European allies."
The US Embassy in Germany tweeted on Wednesday about Grenell's meeting with members of the European parliament. "Today we met with David McAllister and several other German members of the @Europarl_EN [European Parliament] to strategize how Europe can take action to designate Hizballah a terrorist organization."
Today we met with @davidmcallister and several other #German members of the @Europarl_EN to strategize how #Europe can take action to designate Hizballah a terrorist organization. #Hezbollah pic.twitter.com/JbrIMwXTPw
— US-Botschaft Berlin (@usbotschaft) January 22, 2020
Politico further reported that Grenell and US Ambassador to the EU Gordon Sondland met Wednesday with influential members of the European Parliament, who later said they would support the US bid to persuade the EU to label the Shiite organization a terrorist group.
Chairman of the European Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee David McAllister and German MEP Michael Gahler both said they would support the US effort. but stressed that it would be up to the European Parliament's main political groups to present such a resolution.
"We will try to draft something that finds sufficient support," Gahler said.
Grenell later told the Jerusalem Post that he was "hopeful that there will be a draft European Parliament resolution calling for the ban of Hezbollah."
