The question of the designation of Hezbollah by European countries and by the EU is partly a question of reconciling the law with the facts. But it will remain ultimately a question of politics. As such, any decision regarding its status should be part of a broader diplomatic and/or counterterrorism strategy.
In the wake of the unprecedented tragedy of the Holocaust, it was anything but obvious that a Jewish group would seek to engage postwar Germany. But that’s exactly what American Jewish Committee (AJC), alone among global Jewish organizations, did.
European leaders ought to be clearly on the U.S. side on this issue. They should play hardball with Moscow and Beijing and announce diplomatic, if not economic, consequences if the two countries block a new Security Council resolution to extend the arms embargo. Such muscular posturing would also be Europe's best bet to preserve what's left of the JCPOA.
“Remko Leemhuis has the unique experience, passion, and vision to lead AJC Berlin into a new era that will deepen relations across Germany — a country that could not be more important to the prosperity and health of a democratic Europe, to transatlantic relations, to Israel, and to the Jewish people,” said Simone Rodan-Benzaquen, Director of AJC Europe.