Peres Urges EU to Put Hizbullah on Terror Blacklist
Israeli President Shimon Peres on Thursday made a fresh call for the European Union to put Hizbullah on its terror blacklist, after Syrian rebels claimed the group had fired across the border at Syrian villages.
Earlier this month, Bulgaria named Hizbullah as responsible for a July bombing in the seaside report of Burgas which killed five Israeli tourists and their local driver, bringing fresh calls for Hizbullah to be added to the EU blacklist.
"It has been proved that Hizbullah carried out the terror attack in Bulgaria, on European soil, and killed innocent civilians," Peres said in remarks released by his office.
"Today there is further evidence of the activities of the organization and its Iranian dispatchers around the world, including in Cyprus and Nigeria," he added.
Peres was referring to an ongoing trial in Cyprus of a Lebanese man who has reportedly admitted belonging to Hizbullah, and who is suspected of planning attacks on Israeli targets.
He was also alluding to Nigeria's announcement late on Wednesday that it had arrested three men who were allegedly spying for Iran and gathering information on potential Israeli and U.S. targets in Lagos.
"It is time that all countries of the world -- especially the European Union -- put Hizbullah on the list or terror organizations," Peres said.
Washington has asked also Brussels to blacklist Hizbullah but such a move would have to be agreed on by all 27 member states.
"In Lebanon, (Hizbullah chief Sayyed Hassan) Nasrallah, under the cloak of religion, is pushing his country toward a bloody war even though its has no enemy," Peres said referring to rebel claims that Hizbullah, operating from Lebanese territory, had shelled Syrian villages.
"Lebanon must decide whether it wants -- peace or fire," he said.
Source: Agence France Presse, Naharnet
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