European Parliament
European ParliamentFlash 90

The American Jewish Committee's (AJC) Transatlantic Institute on Friday welcomed the European Parliament's decision to adopt with overwhelming, cross-party support a Resolution on the Situation in Lebanon that specifically calls out Hezbollah and Iran for destabilizing the country.

In a paragraph stressing the need for full Lebanese sovereignty and lamenting detrimental outside interference, the text reads: "[W]hereas Hezbollah still controls key ministries in the Lebanese Government; whereas Hezbollah has been listed as a terror organization by several EU Member States; whereas Hezbollah has repeatedly shown its strong ideological allegiance with Iran, which is destabilizing the Lebanese Government and undermining its much-needed cohesion."

The resolution further threatens "the introduction of targeted sanctions for obstructing or undermining the democratic political process."

The text was adopted with 575 yes votes, 71 no votes and 39 abstentions.

"This must be the European Parliament’s strongest condemnation yet of Iran and their terror proxy Hezbollah for undermining the stability of Lebanon," said Daniel Schwammenthal, Director of the AJC's EU office, the AJC Transatlantic Institute.

"European lawmakers have thus sent a clear warning to the regime in Tehran and their Shiite terror group that it is no longer business as usual. The Lebanese people deserve freedom, democracy and prosperity - -neither of which will be attainable as long as Hezbollah and Iran can continue to drag the country into corruption, crime and war," Schwammenthal added.

The resolution followed the formation of a government in Lebanon on September 10 after more than a year of political deadlock.