Guatemala to Designate Hezbollah a Terror Group

Guatemala’s President-elect Alejandro Giammattei pledged on Sunday that his first official act once in office will be to designate Hezbollah as a terror group, Ynet reported.

Giammattei made the statement during a visit with Israeli Foreign Minister Yisrael Katz in Yerushalayim.

Earlier in the day, the Guatemalan leader declared at a meeting with President Reuven Rivlin that “Israel’s friends are our friends. And Israel’s enemies are our enemies.” He pledged that under his tenure, Guatemala will continue to vote with Israel in international forums.

Giammattei invited Rivlin to attend his inauguration. Rivlin did not immediately accept, though he reciprocated by inviting him to return on January 22 for the commemoration of the 75th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau. No senior Israeli official has visited Guatemala in more than 40 years.

Rivlin asked Giammattei whether he would also be meeting with the Palestinian leadership during his visit, and the reply was “no,” though he did offer to help in any way possible to resume the peace process.

The two men also discussed cooperation on security, economic, health, agriculture and water issues.