Gabi Ashkenazi
Gabi AshkenaziFlash 90

Israel on Monday evening welcomed the Slovenian decision to recognize Hezbollah as a terrorist organization.

“I welcome the decision of the Government of Slovenia to recognize all branches of Hezbollah as a terrorist organization. This decision joins similar decisions made in recent months by governments in Europe and Latin America. Hezbollah is a terrorist organization that first and foremost harms the citizens of Lebanon itself and holds them hostage in the service of Iranian interests,” said Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi.

Ashkenazi called on additional countries and the European Union to join the pressure on Hezbollah, to outlaw its activities and to recognize the organization and all its branches as a terrorist organization.

In its decision, Slovenia’s government determined that Hezbollah is a terrorist organization that displays the characteristics of an organized crime organization, that poses a risk to peace and security and conducts terrorist activities on a global scale.

The decision of the Government of Slovenia was taken a few weeks after the Government of Estonia's decision to ban Hezbollah operatives from entering its territory and the Government of Guatemala's announcement regarding the declaration of Hezbollah as a terrorist organization.

Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs is leading an inter-agency effort to increase international pressure on Hezbollah, and in the last year and a half, 16 countries have joined the list of countries that recognize Hezbollah and all its branches as a terrorist organization. Of these, nine countries did so in the last six months.

In 2013, the European Union blacklisted Hezbollah's “military wing” as a terrorist organization, while failing to blacklist the group’s political arm.

In March of 2019, the British government designated Hezbollah as a terrorist organization. Earlier this year, Britain's finance ministry added the entire Hezbollah organization to its list of terrorist groups subject to asset freezing.

Earlier this year, Germany outlawed Hezbollah and also took enforcement measures against the group.