III 

114TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. RES. 482 

Urging the European Union to designate Hizballah in its entirety as a 

terrorist organization and to increase pressure on the organization and 

its members to the fullest extent possible. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

JUNE 6, 2016 

Mrs. SHAHEEN (for herself, Mr. RUBIO, Mr. MARKEY, Ms. AYOTTE, Mr. 

COONS, and Mr. KIRK) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations 

RESOLUTION 

Urging the European Union to designate Hizballah in its 

entirety as a terrorist organization and to increase pressure on the organization and its members to the fullest 

extent possible. 

Whereas in July 2012, a Hizballah terror attack in Bulgaria 

killed 5 Israeli tourists and 1 Bulgarian; 

Whereas in March 2013, a Hizballah operative in Cyprus was 

convicted of planning terror attacks after admitting that 

he was a member of Hizballah, had been trained in the 

use of weapons, and used a dual Swedish-Lebanese passport to travel around Europe on missions as a courier 

and scout for Hizballah; 


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•SRES 482 IS 

Whereas although that Hizballah operative was convicted on 

criminal-related charges, authorities had to drop terrorism charges against him because Hizballah was not 

listed as a terrorist organization; 

Whereas in July 2013, the European Union (referred to in 

this resolution as the ‘‘EU’’) designated Hizballah’s socalled ‘‘military wing’’, but not the organization as a 

whole, as a terrorist organization; 

Whereas the EU designation of Hizballah’s military wing has 

enabled substantial and important cooperation between 

United States and European authorities aimed at uncovering and thwarting Hizballah’s international criminal activities, such as drug trafficking and money laundering, 

the proceeds of which are used to purchase weapons and 

advance Hizballah’s terrorist aims; 

Whereas the Hizballah International Financing Prevention 

Act of 2015 (Public Law 114–102) was signed into law 

in December 2015, broadening financial sector sanctions 

against Hizballah to compel foreign financial institutions 

to refrain from supporting the terrorist group; 

Whereas in February 2016, the United States Drug Enforcement Administration and U.S. Customs and Border Protection partnered with counterparts in France, Germany, 

Italy, and Belgium to arrest top leaders of the European 

cell of Hizballah’s External Security Organization Business Affairs Component, which engages in international 

money laundering and drug trafficking to support 

Hizballah’s terror activities; 

Whereas for many years, Iran and Syria have been the prime 

sponsors of Hizballah, by harboring, financing, training, 

and arming the terrorist group; 


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•SRES 482 IS 

Whereas according to the Department of State’s Country Reports on Terrorism, Iran has armed Hizballah, provided 

hundreds of millions of dollars in support of Hizballah, 

and trained thousands of its fighters; 

Whereas Hizballah now has an arsenal of approximately 

150,000 missiles and rockets, many of which can reach 

deep into Israel, at a time when Hizballah Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah is threatening to invade Galilee or 

attack civilian Israeli chemical plants to generate mass 

destruction; 

Whereas while the EU confronts the migrant crisis sparked 

by violence in Syria, 6,000 to 8,000 Hizballah fighters 

have been on the ground in Syria aiding the Assad regime in its slaughter of innocent Syrians; 

Whereas the Lebanese Armed Forces, the legitimate security 

establishment of the country as set forth in United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701 (2006), are struggling to control the flow of weapons and Hizballah fighters at its borders; 

Whereas Hizballah trains and provides weapons for armed 

groups in Iraq and Yemen, further destabilizing the region and perpetuating violence in those countries; 

Whereas in October 2012, Hizballah Deputy Secretary General Naim Qassem stated that Hizballah does not ‘‘have 

a military wing and a political one . . . Every element of 

Hizballah, from commanders to members as well as our 

various capabilities, are in the service of the resistance’’; 

Whereas the United States, Canada, Israel, and the Netherlands have designated Hizballah in its entirety as a terrorist organization, while Australia and New Zealand 


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•SRES 482 IS 

have applied the designation to the organization’s military wing; 

Whereas in March 2016, the Gulf Cooperation Council, composed of Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, 

and the United Arab Emirates, formally branded 

Hizballah, in its entirety, a terrorist organization, and 

the League of Arab States shortly thereafter adopted the 

same designation; and 

Whereas in April 2016, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, denounced Hizballah’s ‘‘terrorist acts’’ in the Middle 

East: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) expresses appreciation to the EU for the 

3 progress made in countering Hizballah since the EU 

4 designated Hizballah’s military wing as a terrorist 

5 organization; 

6 (2) expresses support for the continued, in7 creased cooperation between the United States and 

8 the EU in thwarting Hizballah’s criminal and ter9 rorist activities; and 

10 (3) urges the EU to designate Hizballah in its 

11 entirety as a terrorist organization and increase 

12 pressure on the group, including through— 

13 (A) facilitating better cross-border coopera14 tion between EU members in combating 

15 Hizballah; 


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•SRES 482 IS 

1 (B) issuing arrest warrants against mem2 bers and active supporters of Hizballah; 

3 (C) freezing Hizballah’s assets in Europe, 

4 including those masquerading as charities; and 

5 (D) prohibiting fundraising activities in 

6 support of Hizballah. 

Æ 


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