Arab League No Longer Views Hezbollah as Terrorist Group, Top Official Says
Assistant Secretary-General of Arab League, Hossam Zaki, announced the policy shift on Egyptian Media
The Arab League no longer classifies Hezbollah as a terrorist group, the Arab League's Assistant Secretary-General Hossam Zaki said on Saturday.
In a statement aired on Egyptian Al-Qahera News, Zaki said that "the member states of the League agreed that the label of Hezbollah as a terrorist organization should no longer be employed."
- Defense Minister Gallant in northern Israel: 'Not looking for war, but ready for one'
- No escape from 'sharp, quick' war against Hezbollah, Israeli far-right minister says
- Is Israel about to go to war with Lebanon's Hezbollah?
"In earlier Arab League decisions, Hezbollah was designated as a terrorist organization, leading to the severing of communication based on these decisions," Zaki was quoted in Arab media as saying. He added that the Arab League "does not maintain terrorist lists and does not actively seek to designate entities in such a manner."
The League branded Hezbollah a terrorist organization in 2016, a move that aligned the 22-member league firmly behind Saudi Arabia.
Tensions between the Lebanese Shi'ite group and Israel have risen dramatically in recent weeks, with both sides exchanging escalating threats of total war. Israel's Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said on Friday that "while he prefers to reach a diplomatic agreement with Hezbollah, Israel's defense establishment is preparing for a potential attack in Lebanon." Gallant added: "Our choices are significant, and we're ready for each one. We are preparing our defensive and offensive capabilities – and this whole thing can happen very quickly."
On Sunday, Israel's far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich warned of Iran's plan to "destroy" Israel and called to take immediate step to tackle the Islamic Republic as well as its proxies – including a "sharp, quick war" against Hezbollah.