A resolution supporting cooperation between the United States and the European Union to thwart Hizballah's criminal and terrorist activities and to bring Hizballah operatives to justice and urging the European Union to designate Hizballah, in its entirety, as a terrorist organization.

Bill: 118-sres-299
Sponsor: full_name: Sen. Rosen, Jacky [D-NV]
Introduced: 2023-07-18
Policy area: International Affairs
Subjects: Criminal investigation, prosecution, interrogation

Europe

European Union

Foreign property

Intelligence activities, surveillance, classified information

International organizations and cooperation

Middle East

Sanctions

Terrorism
Latest action: action_date: 2023-07-18
text: Referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations. (text: CR S2991)

Summaries:
action_date: 2023-07-18
action_desc: Introduced in Senate
text: <p>This resolution applauds and expresses support for the continued cooperation between the United States and the European Union in thwarting Hezbollah's terrorist activities. It also urges the European Union to designate Hezbollah in its entirety as a terrorist organization.</p>

tv_txt: III 118th CONGRESS 1st Session S. RES. 299 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES July 18, 2023 Ms. Rosen (for herself and Mrs. Blackburn ) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations RESOLUTION Supporting cooperation between the United States and the European Union to thwart Hizballah's criminal and terrorist activities and to bring Hizballah operatives to justice and urging the European Union to designate Hizballah, in its entirety, as a terrorist organization.

Whereas, in April 1983, a Hizballah terror attack against the United States Embassy in Beirut, Lebanon killed 63 people; Whereas, in October 1983, a Hizballah terror attack against the United States Marine barracks, in Beirut, Lebanon, killed 241 American and 58 French servicemembers supporting the multinational force peacekeeping mission; Whereas, in July 2012, a Hizballah terror attack, carried out by an operative with dual Lebanese-French citizenship, in Burgas, Bulgaria, killed 5 Israeli tourists and a Bulgarian; Whereas, in March 2013, a Swedish-Lebanese Hizballah operative in Cyprus was convicted of planning terror attacks against Israeli tourists; Whereas, in June 2015, a Hizballah operative was sentenced to 6 years in prison after stockpiling more than 8 tons of ammonium nitrate in Cyprus; Whereas the Hizballah International Financing Prevention Act of 2015 ( Public Law 114–102 ) and the Hizballah International Financing Prevention Amendments Act of 2018 ( Public Law 115–272 ) broadened financial sector sanctions against Hizballah to compel foreign financial institutions to refrain from supporting the terrorist group; Whereas, in May 2018, the Department of the Treasury imposed sanctions on Abdullah Safi-Al-Din, Hizballah’s representative to Iran, Mohammad Ibrahim Bazzi, a Hizballah financier, and blacklisted 5 of Mr. Bazzi’s companies, including Belgian energy services conglomerate Global Trading Group NV; Whereas, in October 2018, French police raided the Islamic Zahra Centre on suspicion of supporting Hizballah, froze the organization’s funds, and seized illegal weapons; Whereas, in September 2020, 4 former leaders of the Zahra Centre France were arrested on suspicion of continuing to run that organization and supporting Hizballah; Whereas, in July 2019, the Department of the Treasury designated 2 Hizballah-backed members of Lebanese Parliament, Amin Sherri and Muhammad Hasan Ra’d, and Hizballah security official Wafiq Safa, stating that Hizballah uses its operatives in parliament to advance its violent activities; Whereas, as of April 2021, officials of the Government of Germany estimated that 1,250 people with suspected links to Hizballah were living in Germany; Whereas Europol’s June 2022 European Union Terrorism Situation and Trend Report— (1) outlined that Hizballah has been using the EU as a base for fundraising, recruitment, and criminal activities ; (2) stated that Hizballah is suspected of managing the transportation and distribution of illegal drugs into the EU, dealing with firearms trafficking and running professional money laundering operations that include the provision of money laundering services for other criminal organizations ; Whereas the United States-led Project Cassandra and Operation Cedar exposed the criminal-business wing of Hizballah, the Business Affairs Component (BAC) of Hizballah’s External Security Organization; Whereas, during Project Cassandra, Hizballah elements involved in drug trafficking were arrested in the United States, in South America, and in several European countries, including France, Belgium, Germany, and Italy; Whereas Hizballah’s criminal activities in Europe is run by the BAC, which reports to the External Security Organisation (also known as Unit 910) or the Islamic Jihad Organization, and Abdallah Safieddine, Hizballah’s representative in Iran, is also involved in such criminal activities; Whereas, in August 2020, United Nations Secretary General António Guterres called on Lebanon to disarm Hizballah, citing the terror group’s persistent violation of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701 (2006); Whereas Iran, which is the prime sponsor of Hizballah, harbors, finances, trains, and arms the terrorist organization; Whereas the Department of Treasury and the Department of State estimate that Iran provides as much as $700,000,000 each year to Hizballah in the form of financial and logistical support, weapons, and training; Whereas Hizballah has an arsenal of approximately 150,000 missiles and rockets with increased sophistication, many of which can reach deep into Israel; Whereas Hizballah fighters have been supporting the Assad regime in Syria and have often led operations in the conflict, which has left more than 500,000 dead; Whereas Hizballah trains and provides weapons for militias in Iraq and Yemen, which further destabilizes the region, and perpetuates violence in those countries; Whereas Hizballah activities continue to plague Lebanon with profound economic and political instability and violence; Whereas Hizballah’s cross-border illicit arms and drugs trafficking undermines the Lebanese Armed Forces, which is the legitimate security establishment of the country, as outlined in United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701 (2006); 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, Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Slovenia, Serbia, and Kosovo, and other countries have declared Hizballah, in its entirety, a terrorist organization; Whereas, in March 2016, the Gulf Cooperation Council formally branded Hizballah, in its entirety, a terrorist organization, and the League of Arab States adopted the same designation shortly thereafter; Whereas the Department of the Treasury has diligently added persons and entities to the list of Specially Designated Global Terrorists who have provided material support to the Hizballah terrorist organization, thereby hampering its financing and logistical capabilities; Whereas the European Union, in July 2013, designated Hizballah’s so-called military wing a terrorist organization; Whereas, despite restrictions put on Hizballah since the designation of its military wing as a terrorist organization, Hizballah continues to conduct illicit narcotrafficking, money laundering, and weapons trafficking throughout Europe and around the world; and Whereas in July 2016, the United States Senate, through Senate Resolution 482, called on the European Union to designate Hizballah in its entirety as a terrorist organization: Now, therefore, be it

That the Senate— (1) applauds and expresses support for the continued, increased cooperation between the United States and the European Union in thwarting Hizballah’s criminal and terrorist activities; (2) supports transcontinental efforts within Europe to share intelligence information among police and security services to facilitate greater cooperation in tracking, apprehending, and prosecuting Hizballah operatives; (3) encourages the European Union to implement sanctions against Hizballah-affiliated terrorists in tandem with the United States; (4) recommends greater civil society engagement in both the United States and Europe to underscore Hizballah’s malign regional influence; and (5) urges the European Union to designate Hizballah in its entirety as a terrorist organization and to increase pressure on the group, including by— (A) facilitating better cross-border cooperation between European Union members in combating Hizballah; (B) issuing arrest warrants against members and active supporters of Hizballah; (C) freezing Hizballah’s assets in Europe, including assets controlled by organizations masquerading as charities; and (D) prohibiting fundraising activities in support of Hizballah.