Title: Urging the European Union to designate Hizballah in its entirety as a terrorist organization and increase pressure on it and its members.
Policy area: International Affairs

Summary:
Expresses appreciation to the European Union (EU) for the progress made in countering Hizballah since the EU designated Hizballah's military wing as a terrorist organization.
Supports: (1) U.S.-EU cooperation in thwarting Hizballah's criminal and terrorist activities; and (2) transcontinental efforts within Europe to share intelligence information among police and security services to facilitate greater cooperation in tracking, apprehending, and prosecuting terrorists, foreign fighters, and potential offenders.
Encourages the EU, in tandem with the United States, to implement sanctions against Hizballah-affiliated terrorists.
Urges the EU to designate Hizballah as a terrorist organization and increase pressure on the group, including through:

[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 359 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>






115th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 359

 Urging the European Union to designate Hizballah in its entirety as a 
  terrorist organization and increase pressure on it and its members.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              May 25, 2017

 Mr. Deutch (for himself, Mr. Bilirakis, Mrs. Davis of California, Ms. 
Ros-Lehtinen, Mr. Kelly of Pennsylvania, Mr. Jeffries, Mr. Ted Lieu of 
  California, Mr. Zeldin, and Mr. Schneider) submitted the following 
   resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
 Urging the European Union to designate Hizballah in its entirety as a 
  terrorist organization and increase pressure on it and its members.

Whereas in July 2012 a Hizballah terror attack in Bulgaria killed five Israeli 
        tourists and one Bulgarian;
Whereas in March 2013 a Hizballah operative in Cyprus was convicted of planning 
        terror attacks after admitting he was a member of Hizballah, was 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;
Whereas though such 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 the European Union (EU) in July 2013 designated Hizballah's so-called 
        ``military wing''--but not the organization as a whole--as a terrorist 
        organization;
Whereas despite restrictions put on Hizballah since the designation of its 
        military wing, the group continues to conduct illicit narco-trafficking, 
        money laundering, and weapons trafficking throughout Europe;
Whereas 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 in December 2015 the Hizballah International Financing Prevention Act of 
        2015 (Public Law 114-102) was signed into law in the United States, 
        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--a cell that engages in international money laundering 
        and drug trafficking to support Hizballah's terror activities;
Whereas for many years, the Governments of Iran and Syria have been the prime 
        sponsors of Hizballah, harboring, financing, training, and arming the 
        group;
Whereas Department of Defense officials estimate that Iran provides as much as 
        $200,000,000 per year to Hizballah in the form of financial and 
        logistical support, weapons, and training;
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 attack 
        and invade Israel;
Whereas Hizballah fighters have been supporting the Assad regime in Syria, often 
        leading operations in the conflict which has left more than 465,000 
        dead;
Whereas Russia has established fusion centers in Syria to coordinate with Iran, 
        the Assad regime, and Hizballah, and Russian air cover has given 
        Hizballah an advantage on the battlefield against Syria rebels;
Whereas the conflict in Syria has fueled a migrant crisis that has brought 
        nearly 400,000 migrants and refugees to Europe in 2016 and 2017 alone;
Whereas Lebanon continues to be plagued by instability and violence;
Whereas due to Hizballah's actions in Syria, the Islamic State of Iraq and the 
        Levant has carried out retaliatory terrorist attacks in Beirut;
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 Shiite militias 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 terror organization, while Australia and 
        New Zealand have applied the designation to the organization's so-called 
        military wing;
Whereas in March 2016 the Gulf Cooperation Council, the bloc of six Gulf Arab 
        nations, formally branded Hizballah, in its entirety, a terrorist 
        organization, and the League of Arab States shortly thereafter adopted 
        the same designation;
Whereas in April 2016 the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, denounced 
        Hizballah's ``terrorist acts'' in the Middle East;
Whereas Hizballah Secretary General Nasrallah said in May 2017 that the conflict 
        in Syria had entered a ``new and critical phase'' in which Damascus, 
        Moscow, Tehran, and Hezbollah were ``in more harmony politically and 
        militarily than at any time''; and
Whereas in May 2017 the United States and Saudi Arabia sanctioned Hashem 
        Saffiedine, a member of Hizballah's executive council which oversees the 
        organization's political, organizational, social and educational 
        activities, for his involvement in terrorist activity: Now, therefore, 
        be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) expresses appreciation to the European Union (EU) for 
        the progress made in countering Hizballah since the EU 
        designated Hizballah's military wing as a terrorist 
        organization;
            (2) applauds and expresses support for the continued, 
        increased cooperation between the United States and the EU in 
        thwarting Hizballah's criminal and terrorist activities;
            (3) supports transcontinental efforts within Europe to 
        share intelligence information among police and security 
        services to facilitate greater cooperation in tracking, 
        apprehending, and prosecuting terrorists, foreign fighters, and 
        potential offenders;
            (4) encourages the EU to, whenever possible and applicable 
        with due process standards, implement sanctions against 
        Hizballah-affiliated terrorists in tandem with the United 
        States; and
            (5) urges the EU to designate Hizballah in its entirety as 
        a terrorist organization and increase pressure on the group, 
        including through--
                    (A) facilitating better cross-border cooperation 
                between EU members in combating Hizballah;
                    (B) issuing arrest warrants against members and 
                active supporters of Hizballah;
                    (C) freezing Hizballah's assets in Europe, 
                including those masquerading as charities; and
                    (D) prohibiting fundraising activities in support 
                of Hizballah.
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