Schneider, Bilirakis, Rosen, Blackburn, Introduce Bipartisan Resolution Urging the European Union to Designate Hezbollah in its Entirety as a Terrorist Organization

WASHINGTON – Today, Congressman Brad Schneider (IL-10), member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Congressman Gus Bilirakis (R-FL), U.S. Senators Jacky Rosen (D-NV), and Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), introduced a bipartisan resolution urging the European Union (EU) to designate Hezbollah in its entirety as a terrorist organization.

The introduction of the resolution coincides with the eleventh anniversary of Hezbollah's deadly assault in Bulgaria, where a bus carrying Israeli youths was targeted, resulting in the loss of six lives, including the Bulgarian bus driver, and leaving dozens of others injured. Hezbollah continues utilizing Europe as a base to initiate its criminal and extremist terrorist. However, while the EU designates Hezbollah's military branch as a sanctioned terrorist organization, its political wing remains excluded from the list.

“I’m pleased to join my colleagues in the House and Senate in leading this Resolution urging the European Union (EU) to designate Hezbollah in its entirety as a terrorist organization,” said Representative Schneider. “The European Union cannot ignore Iran-backed Hezbollah’s menacing presence in the Middle East, its terrorist efforts outside the region, and its exploitation of global financial networks to fund its nefarious activities. The United States must take the lead in urging our global partners, including the EU, to acknowledge Hezbollah for what it truly is: a terrorist organization. By doing so, we can effectively curtail Hezbollah’s ability to channel foreign aid into the hands of its military wing and mitigate the threats it poses to the region and across the globe.”

“Eleven years ago today, Hezbollah – an Iranian-backed terrorist organization – launched a deadly bombing in Bulgaria. Since then, they have only expanded their web of terror across the globe,” said Senator Rosen. “It’s clear that there is no distinction between Hezbollah’s political and military wings when it comes to its terror activities, and it’s past time that the European Union fully designate it as a terrorist organization.”

“Hezbollah is a dangerous terrorist organization, and the European Union must designate it as such,” said Senator Blackburn. “The Iran-backed militant group has an estimated over 150,000 rockets that are pointed at our close ally, Israel. Using Lebanon as its base, Hezbollah poses an existential threat to Israeli civilians and regional stability. Hezbollah’s entire organization, not just its military wing, is connected to terrorism, and this designation will help strip Hezbollah of the funding it uses to conduct terrorist activities. Designating Hezbollah in its entirety as a terrorist group is a step toward countering Iran’s growing influence in the Middle East.”

“It is critical for members of the EU to designate Hezbollah as a terrorist organization,” said Representative Bilirakis. “This designation will make it more difficult for Hezbollah to raise money to fund its terrorist activities around the globe. Additionally, it will hopefully weaken the organization’s support and eventually render it obsolete. As we seek to secure a future free of terrorism, the EU and United States must stand strongly united against those who wish to threaten our way of life and foster chaos, particularly in the Middle East against our staunch ally, Israel. Taking this important action is a major step toward achieving that moral imperative.”

“The European Union's labeling of Hezbollah's 'military wing' as a terror group in 2013 was an important, but incomplete first step,” said Julie Fishman Rayman, AJC Senior Director, Policy and Political Affairs. “Hezbollah is a single, unified terrorist entity and recognizing that there are no distinct wings -- as Hezbollah's own leadership affirms -- is crucial to address the terrorist infrastructure that Iran’s deadly proxy has established across Europe and beyond. American Jewish Committee (AJC) thanks Senators Jacky Rosen and Marsha Blackburn and Representatives Brad Schneider and Gus Bilirakis for leading this critical effort and urges the swift passage of these important bipartisan resolutions.”

You can read the full resolution here.

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