Banned Hezbollah flag. (Photo by Kobi Richter\/TPS)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
A press spokesman for Federal Minister of Interior Horst Seehofer announced he had banned the operations of the Shiite terrorist organization Hezbollah in Germany.<\/p>\n
The order prohibits any contact with anyone acting on behalf of the organization and does not differentiate between its various arms \u2013 military, political or social,” according to Steve Alter, speaking on behalf of the minister. The order bans any use of the organization\u2019s symbols and decrees that any assets Hezbollah may have in Germany will be seized.<\/p>\n
\u201cPolice measures are underway in several federal states concurrently since the early hours of the morning. The rule of law can also act in times of crisis,\u201d Alter stated, referring to the ongoing coronavirus crisis.<\/p>\n
German media reported that federal police had conducted raids on four mosque associations in Berlin, Dortmund, Bremen and M\u00fcnster, all suspected of being a part of Hezbollah operations.<\/p>\n
Israeli Foreign Minister Yisrael Katz welcomed the \u201cvery important decision” and added that it is ” a valuable and significant step in the global fight against terrorism.\u201d<\/p>\n
He expressed his \u201cdeepest appreciation to the German government for this step\u201d and stated his confidence \u201cthat many governments in the Middle East, as well as the thousands of victims of Hezbollah\u2019s terror, join in thanking them for this decision.\u201d<\/p>\n
Katz called on other European countries and the European Union (EU) to rally around the policy and \u201ccall the child by its name: Hezbollah, with its military and political arms, is a terrorist organization and should be treated as such.\u201d<\/p>\n
Jeremy Isacharoff, Israel\u2019s Ambassador to Germany, added: \u201cWe welcome this extremely significant and meaningful step by Germany in combating international terror.\u201d<\/p>\n
German authorities estimate that some 1,050 people in Germany are active members of the Lebanese terror group.<\/p>\n
Under criminal law, authorities can now punish any Hezbollah activity in Germany including, for example, waving Hezbollah flags at demonstrations or showing posters with Hezbollah symbols. Violators can be sent to prison for up to a year.<\/p>\n
The flag has been seen frequently on Yom Yerusalayim (Jerusalem Day) demonstrations, held annually in Berlin. Protestors, referring to \u201cAl-Quds-Tag,\u201d have called for an \u201cIslamic liberation\u201d of Jerusalem.<\/p>\n
After months of debate, the Bundestag, Germany\u2019s parliament, in December 2019 decided to designate Hezbollah a terror organization and ban all the group\u2019s activities in Germany.<\/p>\n
Germany had previously distinguished between Hezbollah\u2019s military wing, which was banned, and its political wing, which was not.<\/p>\n
Prior to the parliamentary vote, only Hezbollah\u2019s military-wing was banned in line with the EU’s position against terror organization. A comprehensive ban on all the terror group\u2019s activities in the EU was mainly discarded due to opposition by France.<\/p>\n
Germany has long been a primary base for Hezbollah financing and money-laundering activities, according to authorities. Several influential Lebanese family clans have been linked to Hezbollah with income from illegal activities reportedly being funneled to Beirut.<\/p>\n
Hezbollah reportedly also finances itself through the cocaine trade in Germany, laundering money for Latin American drug-smuggling gangs.<\/p>\n
In this move, Germany joins Israel, the US, Canada, the United Kingdom, the Arab League, the Gulf Cooperation Council and Japan in banning Hezbollah in its entirety.<\/p>\n
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