Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah
Hezbollah chief Hassan NasrallahFlash 90

Lithuania has announced that it is designating Hezbollah as a terror organization and is banning entry of Hezbollah affiliates into the country.

“Having taken into consideration the information acquired by our institutions and partners, we may conclude that ‘Hezbollah’ uses terrorist means that pose threat to the security of a significant number of countries, including Lithuania. We stand together with the United States of America, Germany, United Kingdom, Netherlands, as well as other countries that had reached the same conclusion”, Linas Linkevičius, Lithuania’s Foreign Minister, said in a statement.

“We appreciate the successful cooperation between the Lithuanian and Israeli national security agencies. We are thankful to these institutions for their significant work in helping ensure the safety of our citizens."

As such, persons affiliated with Hezbollah were banned from entering Lithuania. The decision made by the Migration Department of the Republic of Lithuania was based on the information on the listed persons’ activities within Hezbollah posing threat to Lithuanian national security interests. The ban is valid for 10 years.

“It is important to note that we support peaceful people of Lebanon and their wish for their country to implement necessary reforms,” added Mr. Linkevičius.

Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi also spoke with his Lithuanian counterpart and thanked Lithuania for the move.

"Hezbollah is a terrorist organization that has imposed terror in large parts of Lebanon and turned them into Iranian protectorates while taking Lebanon’s citizens, its economy and its political system hostage. I would like to thank Lithuania for its decision to recognize the organization, in all its arms, as a terrorist organization. This decision is important and needed, and it is good there is agreement among many European countries on the issue," said Ashkenazi.

He added, "I call on all European countries, as well as the European Union, to join this decision and understand that this is a dangerous and unrestrained terrorist organization that continues its attempts to carry out terrorist attacks around the world at the service of Iran and with its funding. I want to thank members of the foreign ministry and the defense establishment that led inter-agency action to complete the move. "