Saudi Arabia hails Britain’s blacklisting of Hezbollah

Saudi Arabia yesterday welcomed the UK’s decision to blacklist Lebanon’s Hezbollah movement as a “terrorist organisation”, describing the move as “important” and “constructive” to fight terrorism, the Anadolu Agency reported.

Last week, the two chambers of the British parliament agreed on blacklisting both the political and military branches of Hezbollah.

The official Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported an unnamed Saudi official praising the decision.

According to SPA, the Saudi official said the decision “comes in line with the Saudi stance towards the terrorist group.”

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The official stressed that that the international community should follow in the footsteps of Saudi Arabia and the UK regarding Hezbollah.

While the US and Israel have blacklisted the group, the EU only blacklists its military wing.

Hezbollah said the move “reveals how the British government is only a follower in the service of its American master.”

Last month an Israeli news channel reported that Saudi Arabia had backed Israel in its 2006 war against Lebanon which targeted Hezbollah sites in the south of the country.

READ: Hezbollah hits back at US criticism of its role in Lebanon