ISRAEL WELCOMES DECISION
In June, he testified to the Australian parliament that the previous designation was “insufficient”, adding that “Hezbollah is structured and operates as a singular organisation”.
“In recent years a laundry list of Hezbollah terrorist plots and illicit financial schemes have involved Australian citizens and/or activities on Australian soil,” he said.
No reason was given for the timing of Canberra’s decision, which comes as Lebanon reels from spiralling political and economic crises.
Nearly 80 per cent of the Lebanese population is estimated to be living below the poverty line.
Elections are expected in March 2022 and there is growing public anger about nepotism and corruption among Lebanon’s ruling class.
The move may play well domestically for Australia’s conservative government, ahead of its own elections expected next year.
Before 2018 polls, Prime Minister Scott Morrison made the surprise move of recognising west Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, helping secure votes in a battleground Sydney seat with a sizable Jewish community.
Israel’s embassy in Canberra welcomed the decision, saying: “There is no division between the political and the military wings of the terror organisation Hezbollah, and this acknowledgement is essential to combating the enduring threat of terrorism.”
Andrews also announced on Wednesday that Australia would be listing far-right group “The Base.”
“They are a violent, racist neo-Nazi group known by security agencies to be planning and preparing terrorist attacks,” Andrews said.
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