Saniora: EU Decision Has Negative Impact on All Lebanese, Poses Grave Threats to Lebanon

Former premier Fouad Saniora, head of al-Mustaqbal parliamentary bloc, on Saturday voiced "concern and regret over the reasons that led the European Union to take the decision of putting Hizbullah's so-called military wing on its terror list."

"We had commented on this issue in the bloc's statement and voiced our regret and also our concern over the reasons that led the EU to take such a decision, especially that we in Lebanon have ties of solid friendship with 28 European countries, and thus none of us would have liked to see this happening," Saniora added in a statement.

The ex-PM criticized "the interference of Hizbullah's so-called military wing in the internal affairs of a number of countries," noting that its alleged activities "are not limited to the Bulgaria operation, and we heard that all information in this regard will be announced to the international public opinion, but it seems that other things have also happened in other countries."

Saniora called on Hizbullah to stop "this non-beneficial and harmful interference."

He warned that the party's “practices” will have “negative repercussions on all the Lebanese, regardless of affiliations.”

"It is true that they are saying that this decision is simply a political message, but we hope they will pay attention because it poses grave threats to Lebanon," Saniora went on to say.

The European Union formally listed the armed wing of Hizbullah as a “terrorist” entity Friday, paving the way for sanctions.

EU foreign ministers, pushed hard by Britain, agreed on the move at a meeting on Monday despite misgivings by several member states that it would add to the pressures on an already fragile Lebanon.

To meet these concerns, ministers agreed that the blacklisting of Hizbullah would not "affect legitimate financial transfers to Lebanon and the delivery of assistance, including humanitarian assistance."

Hizbullah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah said on Wednesday that the decision means the EU will share responsibility for any future Israeli attack on Lebanon.

In an earlier statement, Hizbullah said the EU decision was “written by American hands and with Zionist ink,” describing it “a hostile and unjust decision that has no justification and is not based on any proof."