Subscribe Today
Request a Clip
Kuwaiti researcher Fahd Al-Shelaimi, president of the Gulf Forum for Peace and Security, reacted in a June 30, 2024 interview with Al-Arabiya Network (Saudi Arabia) to the Arab League’s announcement that it no longer considers Hizbullah a terrorist organization. He said that Hizbullah is still a terrorist organization and that according to polling, an overwhelming majority of people in many Arab countries believe this as well. Al-Shelaimi added that the reason for this decision is not a change in Hizbullah, but to exert pressure on Netanyahu and to prevent war in Lebanon. For more about the Arab League decision, see MEMRITV clip no 11211.
Fahd Al-Shelaimi: "I think that even the explanation of Ambassador Hossam [Zaki] was weak. From the tone of things that it is almost a gesture or an initiative, and not the canceling of a resolution. Let's take a look at history for a moment. In a survey conducted in March 2015, 85% of the people in Saudi Arabia and the UAE said that Hizbullah is a terrorist organization. 76% of the people in Kuwait say that Hizbullah is a terrorist organization. 96% of the people in Egypt said in 2015 that Hizbullah is a terrorist organization. 86% of the people in Jordan said that Hizbullah is a terrorist organization.
"I believe that Hizbullah is still a terrorist organization, as shown in its latest threat to Cyprus. Therefore, Hizbullah makes almost identical threats to those of the Houthis. However, there is a new perspective that has to do with Netanyahu's stubbornness and the Palestinian catastrophe in Gaza. So, in order to exert pressure on Netanyahu and in support of Lebanon... Lebanon is in danger now. There is a [military] mobilization. This was the reason for this initiative, which is not an actual resolution.
[...]
"Hizbullah is a terrorist organization, and all the cosmetic surgeries on its part will not change that.
[...]
"This is not a gesture for the sake of Hizbullah. We consider Hizbullah to be a terrorist organization. No matter what, whether it has changed or not, it is still a terrorist organization. The past and the present tell us that it is a terrorist organization. We have a lot of problems with it. This is a means used by the Arab countries to exert pressure on Netanyahu, through [Israel's] northern front, as well as in order to save Lebanon."
Latest Clips
