Israeli ambassador wants to see Hezbollah in the mainstream

By Andrew Beatty

Date: 14/04/05

Israel's ambassador to the EU has backed away from calls to place Hezbollah on the EU's list of terror groups, a long-standing Israeli demand.

Oded Eran, told European Voice that he would prefer Europe to lend its weight to efforts aimed at pushing Hezbollah towards the political mainstream.

"I do believe that more important than putting the organisation on the actual list, or on a particular list, is the political message that comes from Europe," he said.

His comments come ahead of an informal meeting of EU foreign ministers in Luxembourg later this week (15-16 April), when the Middle East will be discussed.

"If I had to choose between putting the organisation on a terror list and a clear call this weekend from the foreign ministers of Europe, then I would certainly go for the ministers issuing a clear call to Hezbollah to stop being a terror organisation, stop being an armed group and become just a political party, within Lebanon," said Eran.

Tel Aviv has long lobbied for Hezbollah or 'The Party of God', to be placed on the EU's list of terror organisations. Earlier this year Israel presented European capitals with a dossier highlighting the activities of the Syrian and Iranian backed group outside its traditional base of southern Lebanon, primarily in the West Bank and Gaza.

Although the UK and Germany appear increasingly concerned by the activities of Hezbollah, which is estimated to have 800 supporters inside Germany, many remain wary of scuttling attempts to bring Hezbollah into the political mainstream in Lebanon, where it is a parliamentary party.

Fearing increasing influence from Hezbollah in the territories, European diplomats are currently looking at the feasibility of implementing sanctions, which could see the freezing of assets and visa-bans on leading Hezbollah supporters not already on the EU's list.

Hezbollah's leadership reacted angrily last month when the European Parliament voted for action against the group. "Hezbollah is very concerned by such international pressure," said Matthew Levitt, a former FBI Middle East terrorism analyst.

But along with sending a powerful political signal, the effect of placing Hezbollah on a terror list could also be important, according to Levitt who is now head of terrorism studies at the Washington Institute of Near East Policy.

"What Europe could do is make it more difficult for Hezbollah to raise funds. Hezbollah has traditionally infiltrated operatives into Israel by sending them first to Europe," he said.

Oded Eran, Israel's ambassador to the EU, backed away from calls to place Hezbollah on the EU's list of terror groups, a long-standing Israeli demand. He was saying that he would prefer Europe to lend its weight to efforts aimed at pushing Hezbollah towards the political mainstream.