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Britain to ban Hezbollah — ‘a terrorist organization destabilizing the Middle East’

Hezbollah has a 13-member bloc in the Lebanese parliament. (File/AFP)
Updated 26 February 2019
JONATHAN LESSWARE & BEN FLANAGAN
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Britain to ban Hezbollah — ‘a terrorist organization destabilizing the Middle East’

  • “Hezbollah is continuing in its attempts to destabilize the fragile situation in the Middle East” said the Home Secretary
  • Supporting the militant group will be punishable by up to 10 years’ imprisonment
Updated 26 February 2019
JONATHAN LESSWARE & BEN FLANAGAN

LONDON: The UK is to ban Hezbollah in its entirety for threatening stability in the Middle East and posing a threat to Britain’s national security.

The proscription will make membership of the movement or inviting support for it a crime punishable by up to 10 years’ imprisonment, ministers said on Monday.

Hezbollah’s military wing is currently banned in the UK — but the government said it is no longer possible to separate the political arm, which is based in Lebanon and supported by Iran, from the rest of the organization.

From Friday, the group will be banned in its entirety as a “terrorist organization,” following repeated calls from campaigners and outrage over the display of the Hezbollah flag, which features a Kalashnikov assault rifle, at demonstrations in London.

“We identify and ban any terrorist organization which threatens our safety and security, whatever their motivations or ideology which is why I am taking action against several organizations today,” Home Secretary Sajid Javid said.

“Hezbollah is continuing in its attempts to destabilize the fragile situation in the Middle East — and we are no longer able to distinguish between their already banned military wing and the political party. Because of this, I have taken the decision to proscribe the group in its entirety.”

The ban is subject to a vote in the UK Parliament this week.

Hezbollah’s External Security Organization and its military wing including the Jihad Council were proscribed by the UK in 2001 and 2008, respectively.

The Shiite militant movement was established in 1982 during the Lebanese civil war, and the group is now a major political party in Lebanon. Its capture in 2006 of two Israeli soldiers sparked Israel’s 2006 war with Lebanon, in which 1,200 people were killed.

Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt said in Monday’s statement that the move to blacklist Hezbollah did not change the UK’s commitment to Lebanon.

“We are staunch supporters of a stable and prosperous Lebanon. We cannot however be complacent when it comes to terrorism — it is clear the distinction between Hezbollah’s military and political wings does not exist, and by proscribing Hezbollah in all its forms, the government is sending a clear signal that its destabilising activities in the region are totally unacceptable and detrimental to the UK’s national security,” Hunt said.

“This does not change our ongoing commitment to Lebanon, with whom we have a broad and strong relationship.”

Matthew Levitt, an expert on Hezbollah and counter-terror at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, said there are people in the UK affiliated with Hezbollah but who are not believed to be members of the military wings who could now be targeted by the authorities.

He said traditionally they were linked to the group’s Foreign Relations Department working as ambassadors, money raisers, or dealing with logistics. But as Hezbollah became more embroiled in the Syrian war, the group has increasingly relied on the FRD for operational purposes.

“Now anybody who is doing things on behalf of Hezbollah and certainly those affiliated with Hezbollah’s FRD would be well within the crosshairs of Hezbollah’s proscription,” Levitt said.

He added that even Hezbollah itself has said there is little differentiation between its political and military wings and that it is a unified organization dedicated to political violence.

The London-based Tony Blair Institute for Global Change said it welcomed the move by the UK but said more unified action is required against Hezbollah internationally.

Hezbollah, which is mainly financed by Iranian backers, is already considered a terror group by the US, Canada, Israel and the Arab League.

“Hezbollah remains one of the most capable terrorist organizations in the world,” said Azmina Siddique, a policy adviser at the institute.

“It has been responsible for countless terrorist attacks and it intends to continue expanding its reach.

“Iran funds Hezbollah by up to $200 million a year but financial pressure on Iran from the renewed US sanctions are likely to make Hezbollah ramp up its international funding activities including drugs trafficking and smuggling through the EU and the UK.”

Ghanem Nuseibeh, founder of Cornerstone Global, a management consultancy focused on the Middle East, said the UK government was sending a message that it will not be “a safe haven” to terror groups.

“This shows that the UK government proactively updates its list of proscribed organizations, based on new evidence and new threats,” Nuseibeh told Arab News.

“It also shows that the UK government believes the interconnectedness of terrorist groups like Hezbollah, across the world, threatens UK security. The message that the UK government has is that groups that pose a terrorist threat in the Middle East are also a threat to the UK.”

Former Government minister Eric Pickles, now the UK’s Special Envoy for post-Holocaust issues, tweeted an image of the order proscribing Hezbollah. “No one in the UK with any sense of responsibility would call them our ‘friends’,” he added. 

Israel welcomed the UK’s and called for the United Nations to follow suit.

The UK government is also banning Ansarul Islam, an extremist group which emerged near the border between Mali and Burkina Faso in 2016, and the Group to Support Islam and Muslims (JNIM), which has sworn allegiance to Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb.

Britain currently has 74 international terrorist organizations proscribed under the Terrorism Act 2000.

 

Topics: Hezbollah Britain

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‘New Syria’ offers historic moment of hope but also threats and uncertainty, says UN chief

Updated 4 sec ago
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‘New Syria’ offers historic moment of hope but also threats and uncertainty, says UN chief

  • Secretary-General Antonia Guterres warned of Daesh threats in parts of the country and called for Israeli airstrikes to stop
  • Progress could unravel ‘if the ongoing situation is not managed carefully by Syrians themselves’ with international support, he adds
Updated 4 sec ago
Ephrem Kossaify

NEW YORK CITY: While recent developments in Syria offer a long-awaited opportunity for Syrians to realize their aspirations for freedom “there is a real risk that progress could unravel” if the situation is not managed carefully, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned on Thursday.

Long-time dictator Bashar Assad fled the country on Dec. 8 following a swift offensive by a group of rebels. Their operation, which lasted less than two weeks, met little resistance.

Guterres noted that the end of more than five decades of “brutal, dictatorial rule” by the Assad family offers a long-sought opportunity for all Syrians to fulfill the aspirations that sparked their peaceful movement for change in 2011. The slogan that echoed across the country, “The Syrian people are one,” has never been more relevant, he added.

“It holds great promise for a country so rich in diversity, history and culture, along with its deep-rooted traditions of generosity, which I witnessed first-hand as high commissioner for refugees when the Syrian people welcomed millions of displaced Iraqis,” Guterres said.

However, he stressed that “nothing is guaranteed” and warned: “If the ongoing situation is not managed carefully by Syrians themselves, with the support of the international community, there is a real risk that progress could unravel.”

Guterres emphasized that “all communities must be fully integrated into the new Syria,” and “the rights of women and girls must be fully respected.” He also reiterated the importance of ensuring the process is guided by the principles outlined in UN Security Council Resolution 2254.

Adopted in 2015, the resolution calls for a ceasefire agreement and political settlement in Syria, and sets out a road map for the country’s transition, including “free and fair” elections.

Although some parts of Syria are relatively stable following the fall of Assad, Guterres warned that the conflict is far from over and civilians continue to be killed, injured and displaced. Daesh remains a threat in some areas, while Israel continues to target the country with extensive airstrikes.

“These are violations of Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity,” Guterres said. “They must stop.”

In the Golan Heights, he said, the UN’s Disengagement Observer Force has reported an ongoing Israeli military presence in several locations within the Area of Separation, despite long-standing agreements prohibiting such deployments.

The peacekeeping mission has also observed Israeli personnel and equipment in at least one place inside the Area of Limitation. The 1974 Disengagement of Forces Agreement between Israel and Syria stipulates that this area must remain free of military forces.

Guterres called on Israel and Syria to fully comply with the terms of the agreement, which “remains in full force.”

He added: “Let me be clear: There should be no military forces in the Area of Separation other than UN peacekeepers, period. Syria’s sovereignty, territorial unity and integrity must be fully restored, and all acts of aggression must come to an immediate end.”

Neighboring country Turkiye has “a very important role” to play in convincing parties in Syria of the need for inclusive dialogue, Guterres said. However, he also stressed the need to establish a permanent ceasefire in northeastern Syria, and to stem the activities of Daesh in the area.

Meanwhile, the humanitarian crisis in the country remains one of the worst in the world, with the recent escalation further exacerbating the needs of people nationwide. Guterres stressed the urgent need to ensure humanitarian and recovery efforts receive adequate funding. The UN’s humanitarian chief has already warned that the appeal for aid to Syria, one of the largest in the world, remains severely underfunded.

Describing the current moment in Syria as one of “hope and history” but also “great uncertainty,” Guterres said: “Some will try to exploit the situation for their own narrow interests. But it is the obligation of the international community to stand with the people of Syria, who have suffered so much.

“Syria’s future must be shaped by its people, for its people, with the support of all of us.”

Topics: Fall of Assad United Nations (UN) Antonio Guterres

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Putin says fall of Assad not a ‘defeat’ for Russia

Updated 40 min 44 sec ago
AFP
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Putin says fall of Assad not a ‘defeat’ for Russia

  • Assad’s departure came over 13 years after crackdown on democracy protests precipitated civil war
  • Russia was Assad’s key backer and swept to his aid in 2015, turning the tide of the conflict in his favor
Updated 40 min 44 sec ago
AFP

MOSCOW: Russian President Vladimir Putin said Thursday that the fall of ex-Syrian leader Bashar Assad was not a “defeat” for Russia, claiming Moscow had achieved its goals in the country.
Assad fled to Moscow earlier this month after a shock militant advance ended half a century of rule by the Assad family, marked by repression and allegations of vast human rights abuses and civil war.
His departure came more than 13 years after his crackdown on democracy protests precipitated a civil war.
Russia was Assad’s key backer and had swept to his aid in 2015, turning the tide of the conflict.
“You want to present what is happening in Syria as a defeat for Russia,” Putin said at his annual end-of-year press conference.
“I assure you it is not,” he said, responding to a question from an American journalist.
“We came to Syria 10 years ago so that a terrorist enclave would not be created there like in Afghanistan. On the whole, we have achieved our goal,” Putin said.
The Kremlin leader said he had yet to meet with Assad in Moscow, but planned to do so soon.
“I haven’t yet seen president Assad since his arrival in Moscow but I plan to, I will definitely speak with him,” he said.
Putin was addressing the situation in Syria publicly for the first time since Assad’s fall.
Moscow is keen to secure the fate of two military bases in the country.
The Tartus naval base and Hmeimim air base are Russia’s only military outposts outside the former Soviet Union and have been key to the Kremlin’s activities in Africa and the Middle East.
Putin said there was support for Russia keeping hold of the bases.
“We maintain contacts with all those who control the situation there, with all the countries of the region. An overwhelming majority of them say they are interested in our military bases staying there,” Putin said.
He also said Russia had evacuated 4,000 Iranian soldiers from the country at the request from Tehran.

Syrian girls’ right to schooling unrestricted, new education minister says

Updated 19 December 2024
AFP
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Syrian girls’ right to schooling unrestricted, new education minister says

  • New rulers promise equal treatment for all minority groups
  • Education minister assures girls’ right to education remains unchanged
  • Half of Syria’s schools destroyed or damaged, Qadri says
Updated 19 December 2024
AFP

DAMASCUS: Syria will remove all references to the former ruling Baath party from its educational system as of next week but will not otherwise change school curricula or restrict the rights of girls to learn, the country’s new education minister said.
“Education is a red line for the Syrian people, more important than food and water,” Nazir Mohammad Al-Qadri said in an interview from his office in Damascus.
“The right to education is not limited to one specific gender. ... There may be more girls in our schools than boys,” he said.
The secular, pan-Arab nationalist Baath Party governed Syria since a 1963 coup d’etat, seeing education as an important tool for instilling life-long loyalty among the young to the country’s authoritarian ruling system.
President Bashar Assad was toppled on Dec. 8 by Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham (HTS), an Islamist rebel group that some Syrians fear may seek to implement a conservative form of Islamist governance.
But Qadri’s plans reflect their wider management approach and moderate messaging so far.
Syria has long been seen to have one of the Arab world’s strongest education systems, a reputation that has largely survived 13 years of civil war.
Qadri said religion — both Muslim and Christian — will continue to be taught as a subject in school.
Primary schools will remain mixed between boys and girls, while secondary education will stay largely segregated, he said.
“After primary school, there were always schools for females and schools for males. We won’t change that,” said Qadri, who had taken to his ornately-furnished office so recently that he had not yet procured Syria’s new green, white and black flag.
Syria’s new rulers, who have long-since disavowed their former Al-Qaeda links, have said that all of Syria’s minority groups including Kurds, Christians, Druze and Alawites will be treated equal as the new government focuses on rebuilding.
They face a formidable challenge.
Syria remains under tight Western sanctions.
Entire cities were levelled in 13 years of war that Qadri said had also left about half the country’s 18,000 schools damaged or destroyed.
But the rebels have moved into government fast, extending a hand to former state employees who have shown up to work in droves.
Most of the new ministers are young — in their 30s or 40s — making 54-year-old Qadri among the oldest in government.
Born and raised in Damascus, he was imprisoned by the Assad regime in 2008 on what he said were spurious charges of inciting sectarian strife, preventing him from finishing his bachelor’s degree.
He was released a decade later and fled to northern Idlib, then under the control of HTS, becoming education minister in its Salvation Government in 2022.
He is currently finishing his masters thesis in Arabic language.
With the political and social contours of the new Syrian state still being drawn, Qadri said students would not be tested on their mandatory “nationalist studies” — previously a vehicle for teaching Baathism and Assad family history — this year.

Topics: Fall of Assad Syria Education

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Palestinian health ministry says 4 killed in Israeli West Bank strike

Updated 19 December 2024
AFP
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Palestinian health ministry says 4 killed in Israeli West Bank strike

Updated 19 December 2024
AFP

RAMALLAH: The Palestinian health ministry said Thursday that an Israeli air strike on a car killed four Palestinians and wounded three near the occupied West Bank city of Tulkarem.
The ministry announced that the Palestinians were killed “as a result of the (Israeli) bombing of a vehicle in Tulkarem camp,” which the Israeli army did not immediately confirm to AFP.

Topics: west bank palestine War on Gaza

Turkiye, Iran leaders at Muslim summit in Cairo

Updated 55 min 4 sec ago
AFP
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Turkiye, Iran leaders at Muslim summit in Cairo

  • Relations between Egypt and Iran have been strained for decades, but diplomatic contacts have intensified since Cairo became a mediator in the war in Gaza
Updated 55 min 4 sec ago
AFP

CAIRO: The leaders of Turkiye and Iran were in Egypt on Thursday for a summit of eight Muslim-majority countries, meeting for the first time since the ouster of Syria’s president Bashar Assad.
Turkiye historically backed the opposition to Assad, while Iran supported his rule.
The gathering of the D-8 Organization for Economic Cooperation, also known as the Developing-8, was being held against a backdrop of regional turmoil including the conflict in Gaza, a fragile ceasefire in Lebanon and unrest in Syria.
In a speech to the summit, Turkiye’s Recep Tayyip Erdogan called for unity and reconciliation in Syria, urging “the restoration of Syria’s territorial integrity and unity.”
He also voiced hope for “the establishment of a Syria free of terrorism,” where “all religious sects and ethnic groups live side by side in peace.”
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian urged action to address the crises in Gaza, Lebanon and Syria, saying that it is a “religious, legal and human duty to prevent further harm” to those suffering in these conflict zones.
Pezeshkian, who arrived in Cairo on Wednesday, is the first Iranian president to visit Egypt since Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who visited in 2013.
Relations between Egypt and Iran have been strained for decades, but diplomatic contacts have intensified since Cairo became a mediator in the war in Gaza.
Foreign Minister Abbas Aragchi visited Egypt in October, while his Egyptian counterpart Badr Abdelatty traveled to Tehran in July to attend Pezeshkian’s inauguration.
Ahead of the summit, the Iranian top diplomat said he hoped it would “send a strong message to the world that the Israeli aggressions and violations in Gaza, Lebanon and Syria” would end “immediately.”
Erdogan was in Egypt earlier this year, and discussed with President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi economic cooperation as well as regional conflicts.
Established in 1997, the D-8 aims to foster cooperation among member states, spanning regions from Southeast Asia to Africa.
The organization includes Egypt, Turkiye, Iran, Nigeria, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Indonesia and Malaysia as member states.

Topics: Iran Turkiye Egypt

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