NEW YORK – The World Jewish Congress welcomes the decision of the Republic of Kosovo to include Hezbollah on its list of terrorist organizations, calling the move a “principled step in the critical quest for international peace and security.”
“The global community has been terrorized for more than three decades by Hezbollah and its operatives, who have executed their violent actions under the patronage of the Islamic Republic of Iran across nearly every continent,” said WJC President Ronald S. Lauder. “And yet, several top international organizations, including the United Nations, still refuse to recognize Hezbollah in its entirety as the terrorist entity that it is.”
“It’s clear that there is absolutely no distinction between the military wing of Hezbollah and the political arm which guides it,” Lauder added. “The international community must be united and uncompromising in its fight against radicalism, fundamentalism, and extremism. We must never grant leniency or impunity to those who wish to undermine our core values of freedom, democracy, and liberty for all.
“We praise Kosovo for leading in its support for this goal. Its decision to do so comes at a crucial point in history, as we mark 25 years since the deadly 1994 bombing of the AMIA Jewish center in Buenos Aires, which killed 85 people and wounded hundreds more. Indisputable evidence shows that Hezbollah, as a proxy of Iran, carried out this attack, and yet, 25 years later, justice has still not been served,” Lauder said. “We urge governments and international organizations across the world to follow on Kosovo’s path to ensure that we never surrender to these terrorists.”