Arab League official: We still have ‘reservations’ about Hezbollah even after revoking terror status

Hossam Zaki, assistant secretary-general of the Arab League, says his recent remarks on the forum rescinding Hezbollah’s designation as a terror group have been “misinterpreted.”

On Saturday, Zaki told an Egyptian news outlet that member states of the Arab League have stopped classifying Hezbollah as a terror group.

In his latest statement to reporters, Zaki adds that the step “does not mean that the many reservations and objections over Hezbollah’s behavior, policies, actions and stances have ceased to exist, not only domestically but also regionally,” according to a report in the Lebanese Naharnet newspaper.

Washington criticized the Arab League’s revocation of Hezbollah’s terror designation, which reversed a decision it adopted in 2016, and according to Naharnet was rescinded last year at the Jeddah summit.

“There is no question that Hezbollah remains a dangerous terrorist organization and a destabilizing force in the Middle East,” US State Department spokesperson Vedant Patel said on Monday. “We believe that there’s no reason to take steps to remove such a designation, and we have continued to urge governments around the world to designate, ban or restrict Hezbollah. Sixteen governments from across the world have heeded this call since 2019, and we will continue to have those conversations.”