Austria Adds Entire Hezbollah as Terrorist Organization to “Symbolic Law”

Austria amended its symbolic law forbidding the use of symbols belonging to terrorist organizations and determined that Hezbollah in its entirety is a terrorist organization. Before the amendment, only the military wing of Hezbollah was included in the symbolic law.

In doing so, Austria joins Germany, the Czech Republic, Slovenia, and Switzerland, who have recently made similar decisions on the topic of Hezbollah. Israel’s Foreign Ministry is leading an inter-agency effort to increase international pressure on Hezbollah, and in the past year and a half, seventeen countries have joined the list of states who recognize Hezbollah in its entirety as a terrorist organization.

Israel’s Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi said, “During this period of relentless rocket attacks against Israeli civilians by Palestinian terrorist organizations that are also supported by Iran, Austria’s action is additional proof of its brave friendship and strong position in support of Israel. The international community as a whole must join the effort against terrorist organizations.

“I thank Austria for expanding the list of terrorist organizations included in the symbolic law and determining that Hezbollah in its entirety is a terrorist organization. This decision completes the Austrian parliament’s announcement in May 2020, and joins the decisions that governments in Europe and Latin America have made in recent months. Hezbollah is a terrorist organization that harms, first and foremost, the citizens of Lebanon itself, and has taken them hostage in order to serve the interests of Iran”.