The Jerusalem Post (www.jpost.com) reports that France is refusing to add the Hizbullah to Europe's list of terrorist organizations. The Hizbullah is responsible for dozens of attacks against unarmed Israeli civilians - it is based in Lebanon and is backed financially and politically by Iran and Syria. Click here for more information on Hizbullah.

A senior Israeli diplomatic official said that France has been opposed to including Hizbullah on the list, saying it is a political party and declaring it a terror organization could be a destabilizing factor in Lebanon.

Placing these organizations on the EU's blacklist means their assets could be frozen in Europe, and the transferring of funds to them could be made illegal.

By refusing to place Hizbullah in the EU's list of terrorist organizations, France is in fact helping the Islamic terrorists kill unarmed civilians (since their assets are not frozen). No wonder they didn't even score one goal in the World Cup.

I copy the full article below.

EU keeps Hizbullah off terror list
By HERB KEINON - June 17, 2002
http://www.jpost.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=JPost/A/JPArticle/Full&cid=1023716499096

The European Union has decided to place the Aksa Martyrs Brigades and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestinian on its terror blacklist, but not Hizbullah, Prime Minister Ariel Sharon told the cabinet yesterday.

The inclusion of the two terror organizations is "very significant," he said, but added that, until Hizbullah is added to the list, "the job is not done."

The EU has not made a formal announcement regarding widening its blacklist, but according to Israeli diplomatic officials, the European Commission has recommended the inclusion of the Aksa Martyrs Brigades and the PFLP.

A formal announcement on widening the list, first reported in The Jerusalem Post last week, is expected either today or tomorrow at a meeting of the EU foreign ministers in Brussels.

A senior Israeli diplomatic official said that France has been opposed to including Hizbullah on the list, saying it is a political party and declaring it a terror organization could be a destabilizing factor in Lebanon.

A spokesman at the French Embassy would not comment on the matter, saying he does not comment on "press rumors."

"Europe has not yet declared Hizbullah a terror organization, but I did not give up on this in my discussions with British Prime Minister [Tony Blair]," Sharon said. "I hope we will overcome this issue as well."

Sharon met with Blair last week on his way back from the US.

Placing these organizations on the EU's blacklist means their assets could be frozen in Europe, and the transferring of funds to them could be made illegal.

The EU followed the US lead late last year and published a list of foreign terrorist organizations. That list included Islamic Jihad and Izzadin Kassam, the military wing of Hamas, as well as the Basque separatist organization ETA, Irish Republican Army dissidents, and anti-Catholic groups from Northern Ireland.

Ever since that list was published, Israel has been lobbying to have Hizbullah, the Aksa Martyrs Brigades, and PFLP included. These organizations are all on the US State Department's list of foreign terror organizations.

Beyond the practical financial impact for these groups, there is also a great deal of symbolic significance to being placed on the list. For instance, it is more difficult for these organizations to characterize themselves as freedom fighters or national liberation organizations when they are included on various terror lists

Posted by David Melle
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