[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 33 (Thursday, March 17, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E509]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




URGING ADDITION OF HEZBOLLAH TO EUROPEAN UNION'S TERRORIST ORGANIZATION 
                                  LIST

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                           HON. ROBERT WEXLER

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, March 14, 2005

  Mr. WEXLER. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank Mr. Saxton and Mr. Engel for 
joining with me in introducing this critically important resolution, 
urging the EU to add Hezbollah to its terrorist list. For 23 years, 
Hezbollah has led a global campaign of terror aided by Syria and Iran 
that has targeted American, Israeli, European, South American, Asian 
and Arab citizens alike. Dubbed the ``A-team of terror'' by former 
Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage, the global security threat 
posed by Hezbollah nears--if not surpasses--that of Al Qaeda.
  Since its inception in 1982, Hezbollah has carried out the bombings 
of the American Embassy in Lebanon, the Israeli Embassy in Argentina 
and the U.S. and French Marine bases in Beirut, among others. Hezbollah 
still has a formidable presence in Lebanon, as demonstrated by last 
week's rally organized by Hezbollah in Beirut, where half a million 
people gathered to express their support for Syria, while chanting 
``death to America; death to Israel'' and waving pictures of Syrian 
President Bashar Assad. This position openly defies international 
demands, as well as that of an American and French-initiated U.N. 
Security Council Resolution, which calls for a Syrian withdrawal from 
Lebanon and the disarmament of Hezbollah.
  In past years, Hezbollah has increasingly supported groups designated 
by the EU as terrorist organizations, including the Al Aqsa Martyrs 
Brigade, Hamas, the Palestinian Islamic Jihad and the Popular Front for 
the Liberation of Palestine.
  Moreover, EU Member States such as France and Germany have taken 
recent legal action against Hezbollah, including the German deportation 
of a Hezbollah agent and the French banning of Hezbollah television, Al 
Manar. The EU has also included several officials affiliated with 
Hezbollah on its terrorist list, thereby precluding the transfer of 
funds to these individuals from EU Member States. Finally, the European 
Parliament voted overwhelmingly last Thursday for a resolution urging 
the EU Council to ``take all necessary steps to curtail Hezbollah'' due 
to ``clear evidence of terrorist activity.''
  It defies logic that the EU would take such action and, at the same 
time, omit Hezbollah from its terrorist list.
  In fact, an EU representative recently affirmed that Palestinian 
officials are increasingly concerned about the enhanced presence of 
Hezbollah in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Palestinians fear that 
Hezbollah will undermine a negotiated ceasefire and target Abu Mazen, 
who has faced severe criticism from Hezbollah, in addition to 
assassination threats. A Palestinian official recently cited an 
intercepted email and bank transaction indicating that Hezbollah has 
increased its payments to Palestinian terrorists from $20,000 to 
$100,000 per attack. If the EU was to add Hezbollah to its terrorist 
list, such transactions may be impeded by an EU financial block.
  In past years, EU Member states have sought to distinguish between 
the political and military wings of Hezbollah. However, Hezbollah 
officials themselves do not believe this distinction can be made--
proving the futility of such claims. This was reiterated by Mohammad 
Raad, one of Hezbollah's representatives in the Lebanese Parliament, 
who stated that ``Hezbollah is a military resistance party, and it is 
our task to fight the occupation of our land . . . There is no 
separation between politics and resistance.''
  Hezbollah does not discriminate in its targeting of innocent 
civilians, and the EU should not discriminate in its classification of 
terror. As such, the European Union must join the ranks of America, 
Canada, Israel and Australia in taking firm action against Hezbollah 
and adding them to its terrorist list. I urge my colleagues to support 
this resolution.

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