Hezbollah condemns Australia’s decision to list whole organization as terror group

Lebanon’s Shiite terror movement Hezbollah denounces Australia’s decision Wednesday to list the whole group as a “terrorist organization,” accusing Canberra of bowing to US and Israeli demands.

Hezbollah has long been targeted by US sanctions and blacklisted by the US and Israel as a “terrorist” organization, but the Iran-backed group is also a powerful political player, with seats in Lebanon’s parliament.

Countries have avoided sanctioning the group’s political wing, fearing such a move could hamper relations with Lebanese authorities or contribute to destabilizing the country.

Hezbollah in a statement “strongly denounced the Australian authorities’ decision,” saying it was “a humiliating submission to American and Zionist diktats” and served Israeli interests.

Australia’s move extended a pre-existing ban on the Shiite group’s armed wing.

The “decision and those that have preceded it will not affect Hezbollah’s position and its right to resistance,” the statement says.