New Zealand proscribes Hezbollah and the Houtis as terrorist entities
The New Zealand government announced that both The Houthis and Hezbollah have been designated as terrorist entities in New Zealand.
This means that any person who deals with the property of, or makes property or financial or related services available to, these entities may be liable to prosecution for an offence under sections 9 and 10 of the TSA.
This means, in layman’s terms, the NZ has finally officially designated the Iran-backed terror proxies of Hezbollah (Lebanon) and the Houthis (Yemen) as terrorist organisations.
Previously, NZ had only classified Hezbollah’s military wing as a terror group. This decision finally eliminates the arbitrary delineation between the military and political arms of Hezbollah, with the entire organisation being designated as a terrorist organisation.
Juliet Moses, president of the New Zealand Jewish Council told JWire that “The Jewish Council is very pleased that the Government has seen fit to remove the bogus distinction between the military and political wings of Hezbollah, by designating it as a terrorist entity in its entirety, as well as the Houthis. It is important to remember that, in addition to the death and destruction they have caused in different places for so many people, Hezbollah has terrorised the people of Lebanon, and the Houthis the people of Yemen. We have seen support for these groups on our streets and online, and are pleased these designations will allow more tools for the authorities to keep New Zealanders safe.”
Rob Berg, president of JNF NZ, added that “the news of Hezbollah, PIJ and the Houthis as terrorist organisation is very welcome, albeit that it should have happened years ago. That said, it shows these groups, and just importantly their supporters, that these groups are a danger to society and have no interest in peace. Rather they objective is an global extreme Islamic caliphate which is repressive, murderous and goes against all that we in New Zealand hold dear. The next group which needs to be added to this list is the PLFP.”
New Zealand has now become the thirtieth country in the world to designate Hezbollah, in its entirety, as a terrorist organisation, finally bringing the country into line with its Five Eyes allies.
