Rasanah webinar discusses German ban on Hezbollah
The International Institute for Iranian Studies (Rasanah) discussed in a webinar the implications of the German decision to designate the Lebanese Hezbollah as a terrorist organization last week. The webinar was moderated by the head of the institute, Dr. Mohammed Alsulami, and included Ali A. Asseri, the former Saudi ambassador to Lebanon; Dr. Ihsan Ashammari, professor of political systems at the University of Baghdad, and head of the Iraqi Political Thinking Center; Dr. Zafer Alajmi, executive director of the Gulf Watch Group; and Lokman Salim, Lebanese activist and political analyst.
The webinar dealt with four axes — the first axis examined the motives and timing of the German decision, and whether other European countries or the European Union as a whole would join Germany. The second axis analyzed the implications of the decision on domestic politics in Lebanon, its relations abroad, and the economic and diplomatic impact on Beirut. The third axis dealt with the impact of the decision at the regional level, especially on the Syrian issue and the Iraqi situation, where the Popular Mobilization Unit (PMU) is based, as well as the Yemeni scene in addition to the security of the Arabian Gulf. The fourth axis discussed the impact of the German decision on the Iranian expansionist project and the policy of relying on nonstate actors.
Ambassador Asseri said that the German decision is “wise, and protects them from targeting, especially since Germany is a democratic country that respects the rule of law.” Alajmi said: “The timing of the decision is due, and it came in the season of collecting religious funds in order to dry up the financial sources of the group.” Ashammari observed that the German decision comes in a natural context within a European background that monitors the powers of Hezbollah inside and outside Lebanon, while political analyst Salim added that Germany wants to send a message to Hezbollah to be aware of the real purpose of any support that reaches Lebanon under the title of stability. On the implications of the decision on internal politics in Lebanon and the impact of the decision economically and diplomatically on Beirut, Asseri said: “Lebanon suffers from instability on the political and economic levels in an unprecedented way, as 45 percent of the people live below the poverty line.” Alajmi described the German decision as a “shock” for the Lebanese party, as Berlin was the negotiator between the party and Israel, and thus Hezbollah’s relationship with Germany was good compared to the rest of the European countries.