Israel calls on other countries to follow German Hezbollah blacklisting

Jerusalem is praising Germany for passing a measure outlawing Hezbollah earlier Thursday and “showing things as they are,” rather than distinguishing between the group’s armed and political wings, as most countries around the world do.

It calls such differentiation “fictitious.”

“We hope other European countries will take similar steps after the Bundestag decision,” the ministry says in a statement.

Foreign Minister Israel Katz calls the German decision “an important step in the joint international fight against terror and especially against Hezbollah as an Iranian proxy.”

Hezbollah has been a major player in Lebanese politics for the last several years. On Thursday, the country’s president was expected to nominate Hassan Diab as prime minister-designate after he won Hezbollah backing.