German Parliament to Discuss Blacklisting Hizbullah’s ‘Political Wing’

Germany’s parliament on Thursday will discuss blacklisting Hizbullah’s “political wing,” amid reports the group has upped its presence in the country. The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party initiated the debate by introducing a non-binding resolution calling to “examine whether the conditions exist for a ban on Hizbullah as one organization, and, if necessary, to issue such a prohibition and implement it immediately.” According to an analysis by Benjamin Weinthal, a fellow at the Washington-based Foundation for Defense of Democracies, Hizbullah has some 1,050 operatives in Germany, an increase of nearly 20 percent since 2017. Various European countries continue to bifurcate the terrorist organization into legitimate civic and martial elements, thus enabling its supporters to raise funds on the continent and promote the ideology of the Lebanon-based Iranian proxy. Hizbullah’s “political wing” effectively controls the Lebanese government while flouting United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701, which prohibits armed groups other than the Lebanese army. Most experts believe that the AfD’s motion will be voted down.