SCHNEIDER STATEMENT ON HOUSE PASSAGE OF BIPARTISAN RESOLUTION URGING EU TO DESIGNATE HIZBALLAH IN ITS ENTIRETY AS A TERRORIST ORGANIZATION

September 22, 2022 Press Release

WASHINGTON – Today, Congressman Brad Schneider (IL-10), a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, released the following statement on the House passage of H.Res. 558, a bipartisan resolution he co-led with Reps. Ted Deutch (FL-22), Gus Bilirakis (FL-12), Kathy Manning (NC-06), Peter Meijer (MI-03), French Hill (AR-02), Ted Lieu (CA-33), Ritchie Torres (NY-15), Ann Wagner (MO-02), and Joe Wilson (SC-02) urging the European Union (EU) to designate Hizballah in its entirety as a terrorist organization.

"This week, the House passed a bipartisan resolution that I co-led with Rep. Ted Deutch and several of my esteemed colleagues to urge the European Union (EU) to designate Hizballah in its entirety as a terrorist organization. Hizballah continues to menace Israel and the entire Middle East by leveraging global financial connections to fund its nefarious activities. To mitigate the threats Hizballah poses to the region, the U.S. should lead our global partners, such as the EU, to recognize Hizballah in its entirety for what it is: a terrorist organization. This change would be an important step toward limiting Hizballah's ability to funnel foreign aid into terrorist activities carried out by its military wing."

US court awards millions to victims of Hezbollah rockets

A U.S. court has ordered the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah to pay millions of dollars in damages to a group of Americans who sued saying they were wounded by the group's rockets during a war with Israel in 2006

ByThe Associated Press

September 20, 2022, 5:33 AM

JERUSALEM -- A U.S. court has ordered the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah to pay millions of dollars in damages to a group of Americans who sued saying they were wounded by the group's rockets during a war with Israel in 2006.

The case was brought under the U.S. Anti-Terrorism Act and alleged that Hezbollah caused the plaintiffs physical and emotional injury and damaged their property. The judge ordered Hezbollah to pay damages of $111 million to the plaintiffs.

Such civil lawsuits brought against militant groups are difficult to enforce but Nitsana Darshan-Leitner, one of the lawyers representing the plaintiffs, said it was an important legal victory against the Iran-backed group.

"Only by exacting a heavy price from those who engage in the business of terrorism can we prevent the suffering and loss of additional victims to their violence," Darshan-Leitner said in a statement.

Israel and Hezbollah fought a monthlong war in 2006. Israel pounded targets in Lebanon, including the country's international airport and other civilian infrastructure, while Hezbollah launched thousands of rockets at cities and towns in Israel's north. Israel still considers the heavily armed Shiite militant group a major threat and threatened to inflict heavy damage on Lebanon if another war erupts.

In Friday's ruling, Judge Steven L. Tiscione of federal court in Brooklyn, New York, said the plaintiffs had successfully established that Hezbollah's actions were a violation of the Anti-Terrorism Act and held the group liable.

A Hezbollah spokesman declined to comment.

Secretary Antony J. Blinken and Lebanese Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati Before Their Meeting

09/20/2022 08:22 PM EDT

Antony J. Blinken, Secretary of State

New York City, New York

Palace Hotel

SECRETARY BLINKEN: Well, good evening, everyone. And Prime Minister, very good to see you. Thank you for taking the time to spend some time this evening. We are working very closely in support of Lebanon in a number of ways, particularly working through the incredibly challenging economic issues, and very much supportive of Lebanon moving forward in dealing with these challenges, including with the IMF.

At the same time, I think it's quite extraordinary that we see even as Lebanon is dealing with these acute challenges the incredible generosity of the country, particularly in giving refuge to so many people from conflict, I think the highest number of refugees per capita of any country in the world – something we greatly admire and also are trying to find ways to help you continue to support.

So there is lots to talk about. We have many challenges in the region more broadly, but I am grateful, Prime Minister, for the time this evening and look forward to a good conversation. Welcome.

PRIME MINISTER MIKATI: Good evening. Thank you very much, Mr. Secretary, for to give us this opportunity tonight to talk about our problems and to give me this opportunity also to thank the – your administration for all your help and assistance for Lebanon. I know what you are doing directly and indirectly – directly through USAID, through your embassy in Beirut, and all the help done to Lebanon. And indirectly I know that the Lebanese army is in your mind and you are giving great help to the Lebanese army. And the generous, let's say, donation given by Qatar and other countries that we are looking for (inaudible) for this. So I am, let's say, delighted to have this meeting and we have certain points to have to raise together, if you don't mind.

SECRETARY BLINKEN: Thank you.

Explanation of Vote Following the Adoption of a UN Security Council Resolution on the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL)

Ambassador Richard Mills

Deputy U.S. Representative to the United Nations

New York, New York

August 31, 2022

AS DELIVERED

Thank you, Mr. President. The United States welcomes today's renewal of UNIFIL's mandate for an additional year, and we thank France, as penholder, for its constructive engagement on this renewal. The United States appreciates the international community's support for Lebanon and the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) during the country's ongoing crisis.

We are pleased to see this mandate reauthorize UNIFIL's provision of non-lethal material and logistical support to the LAF, which will help the LAF to extend and sustain state authority in southern Lebanon, including by increasing joint activities with UNIFIL and accelerating deployment of a Model Regiment. Through this new mandate, the Council reaffirms UNIFIL's authority to operate independently and to conduct both announced and unannounced patrols under the terms of its Status of Forces Agreement with the Government of Lebanon and consistent with the terms of the mission's mandate.

This is an important reminder as the Secretary-General has reported that UNIFIL peacekeepers are blocked with increasing frequency from conducting their mandated tasks and accessing sites of concern. The proliferation of prefabricated containers placed by Green Without Borders obstructs UNIFIL's access to the Blue Line and is heightening tensions in the area, further demonstrating that this so-called environmental group is acting on Hizballah's behalf. The presence of firing ranges in UNIFIL's area of responsibility, a serious escalation of Hizballah's open defiance of Resolution 1701, is also increasing tensions in southern Lebanon.

We urge the Lebanese authorities, as the host state, to facilitate UNIFIL's full and timely access to UNIFIL's entire area of operations, including the entire Blue Line, the firing ranges, Green Without Borders sites and containers, the tunnel sites, and all other sites of concern to which UNIFIL requires access in order to fulfil its mandate. Ensuring UNIFIL's peacekeepers are able to move freely is also critical to helping mitigate the growing risks to UNIFIL peacekeepers' safety and security that the UN has documented this year.

Recalling that host governments have primary responsibility for ensuring the safety and security of UN personnel and assets, we urge the Lebanese authorities to investigate attacks against peacekeepers, hold to account those responsible, and proactively work to deter hostility toward peacekeepers.

The United States underlines that the area between the Blue Line and Litani River must be free of weapons except for those used by the Government of Lebanon and UNIFIL. The Secretary-General continues to document a proliferation of unauthorized weapons in this area.

On a technical matter, Mr. President, we must clarify our position with respect to operative paragraph 21 condemning the presence of these weapons, because the provision of Resolution 1701 that calls for this area to be free of unauthorized weapons is not legally binding. "Violation" is therefore not the correct terminology. The precise terminology aside, the United States shares this Council's significant concern about the state of affairs in southern Lebanon – in particular, Hizballah's threatening activities. With this resolution, the Security Council has made clear that Hizballah's continued amassing of weapons must stop.

In conclusion, we call on Lebanese authorities to prevent such activities and on UNIFIL to fulfil its mandate by patrolling the entire area between the Blue Line and the Litani River. Thank you.