Home Secretary Sajid Javid is set to announce the full proscription of Hezbollah – not just its so called “military wing” – when he speaks at next week’s Conservative Party conference.
The Jewish Chronicle reports that the Home Secretary will use his speech following formal reconsideration of the UK’s position on the terrorist group.
It follows a CUFI UK petition launched last year in which more than 18,000 people called for the banning of the Lebanese-based organisation that is banned throughout the world, including by the Arab League, United States, France and Israel, but not in the UK. Thousands of CUFI supporters have also written to the Home Secretary calling for the ban.
Britain has only banned its “military” arm but not its “political” wing meaning there is a legal loophole that is currently allowing support for the organisation to grow. However Hezbollah, by its own admission, does not differentiate between its political and military wings.
Hezbollah calls for Islamist revolution around the world, has carried out terror attacks for over 30 years, and calls for the “liberation of Jerusalem” and for the destruction of Israel. Backed by Iran, it has tens of thousands of rockets that can reach every city in Israel.
The Home Office says Hezbollah “is committed to armed resistance to the state of Israel and aims to seize all Palestinian territories and Jerusalem from Israel,” and “its military wing supports terrorism in Iraq and the Palestinian territories.”
Mr Javid is understood to have received strong backing for his decision to certify Hezbollah as an illegal terrorist organisation from new Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt.
Mr Hunt recently labelled Hezbollah an “outrageous, disgusting” organisation and is said to have been pushing for its proscription since taking over as Foreign Secretary from Boris Johnson.
Christians United for Israel UK
