United States Welcomes Australia’s Intended Action Against Hizballah

We welcome Australia’s intention to declare Hizballah in its entirety a terrorist organization under Australia’s criminal code.  Erasing the erroneous distinction between Hizballah’s military wing and the rest of the terrorist organization is a critical step forward.

Hizballah is a dangerous terrorist organization that threatens the safety of the international community and undermines the sovereignty of the Lebanese state.  The organization’s robust paramilitary and terrorist capabilities, as well as its propaganda machine and corrupt financial networks, are major obstacles to peace and stability in Lebanon, in the Middle East and around the world.  Today’s action is an important step toward countering Hizballah’s ability to operate in Australia and abroad.