French Diplomat: EU Ban on Hizbullah Hinges on Bulgaria Bombing Outcome
The European Union is waiting for the outcome of a Bulgarian inquiry into a deadly suicide bombing attack on Israelis in July before deciding on whether to list Hizbullah as a terrorist organization, the French Ambassador to Israel said.
“Our British friends would like to put Hizbullah’s military wing on the terror list,” Christophe Bigot told The Jerusalem Post.
The “main element is what is the outcome of the inquiry in Bulgaria,” he said in an interview with the Israeli newspaper.
Bigot stressed that the EU “still does not have the result of the Bulgarian inquiry” and that “we will be able to make the decision when we have a result.”
Bulgaria's interior minister said last month that the bomber who blew up a bus on July 18, killing five Israeli tourists and their Bulgarian driver, had up to five foreign helpers locally and the attack was planned abroad.
Tsvetan Tsvetanov said the attack at Burgas airport was plotted outside Bulgaria over a period of a year and a half.
The probe into the identity of the foreign bomber has collected lots of evidence, he added.
Israel had immediately blamed Iran and Hizbullah for the bombing, which was the deadliest on Israelis abroad since 2004. Iran denied any involvement.
Bulgaria has so far refrained from pointing a finger at anyone.
U.S. deputy national security advisor for homeland security and counterterrorism John Brennan said in October that EU's “failure to designate Hizbullah as a terrorist organization makes it harder to defend our countries and protect our citizens.”
“We call upon our European allies and partners – including the EU – to join us, not only in recognizing Hizbullah’s terrorist and criminal activities, but in condemning and disrupting those activities,” Brennan said.
“We have discussions with intelligence agencies” in connection with the Americans and it is a “complex situation,” Bigot said.
Asked if France would unilaterally outlaw Hizbullah, the diplomat said: “We are talking about different issues.”
He stressed that the “issue is whether the 27 members will consider Hizbullah as a terrorist organization,” and that has implications.
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