[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 299 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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118th CONGRESS
  1st Session
S. RES. 299

Supporting cooperation between the United States and the European Union 
 to thwart Hizballah's criminal and terrorist activities and to bring 
   Hizballah operatives to justice and urging the European Union to 
   designate Hizballah, in its entirety, as a terrorist organization.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             July 18, 2023

  Ms. Rosen (for herself and Mrs. Blackburn) submitted the following 
  resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
Supporting cooperation between the United States and the European Union 
 to thwart Hizballah's criminal and terrorist activities and to bring 
   Hizballah operatives to justice and urging the European Union to 
   designate Hizballah, in its entirety, as a terrorist organization.

Whereas, in April 1983, a Hizballah terror attack against the United States 
        Embassy in Beirut, Lebanon killed 63 people;
Whereas, in October 1983, a Hizballah terror attack against the United States 
        Marine barracks, in Beirut, Lebanon, killed 241 American and 58 French 
        servicemembers supporting the multinational force peacekeeping mission;
Whereas, in July 2012, a Hizballah terror attack, carried out by an operative 
        with dual Lebanese-French citizenship, in Burgas, Bulgaria, killed 5 
        Israeli tourists and a Bulgarian;
Whereas, in March 2013, a Swedish-Lebanese Hizballah operative in Cyprus was 
        convicted of planning terror attacks against Israeli tourists;
Whereas, in June 2015, a Hizballah operative was sentenced to 6 years in prison 
        after stockpiling more than 8 tons of ammonium nitrate in Cyprus;
Whereas the Hizballah International Financing Prevention Act of 2015 (Public Law 
        114-102) and the Hizballah International Financing Prevention Amendments 
        Act of 2018 (Public Law 115-272) broadened financial sector sanctions 
        against Hizballah to compel foreign financial institutions to refrain 
        from supporting the terrorist group;
Whereas, in May 2018, the Department of the Treasury imposed sanctions on 
        Abdullah Safi-Al-Din, Hizballah's representative to Iran, Mohammad 
        Ibrahim Bazzi, a Hizballah financier, and blacklisted 5 of Mr. Bazzi's 
        companies, including Belgian energy services conglomerate Global Trading 
        Group NV;
Whereas, in October 2018, French police raided the Islamic Zahra Centre on 
        suspicion of supporting Hizballah, froze the organization's funds, and 
        seized illegal weapons;
Whereas, in September 2020, 4 former leaders of the Zahra Centre France were 
        arrested on suspicion of continuing to run that organization and 
        supporting Hizballah;
Whereas, in July 2019, the Department of the Treasury designated 2 Hizballah-
        backed members of Lebanese Parliament, Amin Sherri and Muhammad Hasan 
        Ra'd, and Hizballah security official Wafiq Safa, stating that Hizballah 
        uses its operatives in parliament to advance its violent activities;
Whereas, as of April 2021, officials of the Government of Germany estimated that 
        1,250 people with suspected links to Hizballah were living in Germany;
Whereas Europol's June 2022 European Union Terrorism Situation and Trend 
        Report--

    (1) outlined that Hizballah ``has been using the EU as a base for 
fundraising, recruitment, and criminal activities'';

    (2) stated that Hizballah ``is suspected of managing the transportation 
and distribution of illegal drugs into the EU, dealing with firearms 
trafficking and running professional money laundering operations that 
include the provision of money laundering services for other criminal 
organizations'';

Whereas the United States-led Project Cassandra and Operation Cedar exposed the 
        criminal-business wing of Hizballah, the Business Affairs Component 
        (BAC) of Hizballah's External Security Organization;
Whereas, during Project Cassandra, Hizballah elements involved in drug 
        trafficking were arrested in the United States, in South America, and in 
        several European countries, including France, Belgium, Germany, and 
        Italy;
Whereas Hizballah's criminal activities in Europe is run by the BAC, which 
        reports to the External Security Organisation (also known as Unit 910) 
        or the Islamic Jihad Organization, and Abdallah Safieddine, Hizballah's 
        representative in Iran, is also involved in such criminal activities;
Whereas, in August 2020, United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres 
        called on Lebanon to disarm Hizballah, citing the terror group's 
        persistent violation of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701 
        (2006);
Whereas Iran, which is the prime sponsor of Hizballah, harbors, finances, 
        trains, and arms the terrorist organization;
Whereas the Department of Treasury and the Department of State estimate that 
        Iran provides as much as $700,000,000 each year to Hizballah in the form 
        of financial and logistical support, weapons, and training;
Whereas Hizballah has an arsenal of approximately 150,000 missiles and rockets 
        with increased sophistication, many of which can reach deep into Israel;
Whereas Hizballah fighters have been supporting the Assad regime in Syria and 
        have often led operations in the conflict, which has left more than 
        500,000 dead;
Whereas Hizballah trains and provides weapons for militias in Iraq and Yemen, 
        which further destabilizes the region, and perpetuates violence in those 
        countries;
Whereas Hizballah activities continue to plague Lebanon with profound economic 
        and political instability and violence;
Whereas Hizballah's cross-border illicit arms and drugs trafficking undermines 
        the Lebanese Armed Forces, which is the legitimate security 
        establishment of the country, as outlined in United Nations Security 
        Council Resolution 1701 (2006);
Whereas, in October 2012, Hizballah Deputy Secretary General Naim Qassem stated 
        that ``[Hizballah does not] have a military wing and a political one . . 
        . Every element of Hizballah, from commanders to members as well as our 
        various capabilities, are in the service of the resistance'';
Whereas the United States, Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, 
        Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Slovenia, Serbia, and Kosovo, and other 
        countries have declared Hizballah, in its entirety, a terrorist 
        organization;
Whereas, in March 2016, the Gulf Cooperation Council formally branded Hizballah, 
        in its entirety, a terrorist organization, and the League of Arab States 
        adopted the same designation shortly thereafter;
Whereas the Department of the Treasury has diligently added persons and entities 
        to the list of Specially Designated Global Terrorists who have provided 
        material support to the Hizballah terrorist organization, thereby 
        hampering its financing and logistical capabilities;
Whereas the European Union, in July 2013, designated Hizballah's so-called 
        ``military wing'' a terrorist organization;
Whereas, despite restrictions put on Hizballah since the designation of its 
        military wing as a terrorist organization, Hizballah continues to 
        conduct illicit narcotrafficking, money laundering, and weapons 
        trafficking throughout Europe and around the world; and
Whereas in July 2016, the United States Senate, through Senate Resolution 482, 
        called on the European Union to designate Hizballah in its entirety as a 
        terrorist organization: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (1) applauds and expresses support for the continued, 
        increased cooperation between the United States and the 
        European Union in thwarting Hizballah's criminal and terrorist 
        activities;
            (2) supports transcontinental efforts within Europe to 
        share intelligence information among police and security 
        services to facilitate greater cooperation in tracking, 
        apprehending, and prosecuting Hizballah operatives;
            (3) encourages the European Union to implement sanctions 
        against Hizballah-affiliated terrorists in tandem with the 
        United States;
            (4) recommends greater civil society engagement in both the 
        United States and Europe to underscore Hizballah's malign 
        regional influence; and
            (5) urges the European Union to designate Hizballah in its 
        entirety as a terrorist organization and to increase pressure 
        on the group, including by--
                    (A) facilitating better cross-border cooperation 
                between European Union members in combating Hizballah;
                    (B) issuing arrest warrants against members and 
                active supporters of Hizballah;
                    (C) freezing Hizballah's assets in Europe, 
                including assets controlled by organizations 
                masquerading as charities; and
                    (D) prohibiting fundraising activities in support 
                of Hizballah.
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