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BIPARTISAN GROUP INTRODUCES RESOLUTION CALLING ON EU TO FULLY DESIGNATE HIZBALLAH AS A TERRORIST ORGANIZATION

May 26, 2016

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Washington - Reps. Ted Deutch (D-FL) and Gus Bilirakis (R-FL) joined with Reps. Steve Israel (D-NY), Mike Kelly (R-PA), Ted Lieu (D-CA), Adam Kinzinger (R-IL), Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), Lee Zeldin (R-NY), and Susan Davis (D-CA) to introduce a resolution (H. Res. 750) urging the European Union (EU) to designate the entirety of Hizballah as a terrorist organization and increase pressure on the organization and its members. Currently, the EU only designates Hizballah’s military wing as a terrorist organization, while the United States makes no distinction between its military and political branches when listing the group on its Foreign Terrorist Organization list.

Upon introduction, the Members of Congress released the following statement:

“Hizballah is an Iranian-backed terrorist organization with a global reach that engages in significant illicit criminal activity to fund its terrorism. It doesn’t matter what part of the organization you’re associated with; if you are connected with Hizballah, you are contributing to the rocket attacks on innocent Israeli civilians, targeted bombings of Jews around the world, slaughter of civilians in Syria, and destabilization of the Middle East. There is no distinction between parts of Hizballah when every part contributes to terrorism. We urge our EU allies to help rein in Hizballah’s dangerous worldwide activities.”

The resolution can be viewed here.

Last year, Congress passed the Hizballah International Financing Prevention Act which tightened sanctions on Hizballah’s criminal and financial networks.

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