The Arab League says it has decided to remove Hezbollah from its blacklist, as conditions for establishing relations with the Lebanese resistance movement have been met.
On Friday, Lebanon’s media reported that Zaki held a meeting with Muhammad Raad, the head of Hezbollah's parliamentary bloc in the capital Beirut.
The meeting marked the first contact between the Arab League and the resistance movement in over a decade.
Hezbollah is one of the two main parties representing Shia Muslims —the single largest religious community – in Lebanon.
The powerful resistance movement has fought off two Israeli wars against Lebanon in 2000 and 2006.
The Arab League says it has decided to remove Hezbollah from its blacklist, as conditions for establishing relations with the Lebanese resistance movement have been met.
Arab League assistant secretary-general Hossam Zaki said on Saturday that the member states “agreed that the label of Hezbollah as a terrorist organization should no longer be employed.”
“In previous Arab League decisions, Hezbollah was designated as a terrorist organization, and this designation was reflected in the resolutions, leading to the severing of communication based on these decisions.”
In March 2016, the Arab League labeled Hezbollah as a "terrorist organization," accusing the group of "promoting extremism and sectarianism,” and “meddling in the internal affairs of countries.”
The decision was met with objections from Lebanon and Iraq.
On Friday, Lebanon’s media reported that Zaki held a meeting with Muhammad Raad, the head of Hezbollah's parliamentary bloc in the capital Beirut.
The meeting marked the first contact between the Arab League and the resistance movement in over a decade.
Hezbollah is one of the two main parties representing Shia Muslims —the single largest religious community – in Lebanon.
The powerful resistance movement has fought off two Israeli wars against Lebanon in 2000 and 2006. The group forced the regime to retreat in both conflicts
