Saudi cabinet welcomes ‘constructive’ UK Hezbollah ban

Lebanon's Hezbollah supporters chant slogans during last day of Ashura, in Beirut, Lebanon September 20, 2018. (Reuters/File Photo)

• Britain announced on Feb. 25 it would seek to make membership of the group a crime
• In 2016, the GCC designated Hezbollah a “terrorist” organization

RIYADH: The Saudi Cabinet on Tuesday lauded the British government’s move to classify the political wing of Hezbollah as a terrorist organization.
At its weekly meeting, chaired by King Salman, the Cabinet described the move to outlaw the Lebanese movement as an “important and constructive” step in the global fight against terrorism.
The Cabinet stressed it was now important that the international community followed suit in taking a firm and united stance towards terrorist militias that threatened the security and stability of the region. 
Among other national and global issues discussed, the Cabinet reinstated its commitment to helping the people of Yemen by donating $500 million to co-finance the UN Humanitarian Response Plan for the war-torn country this year.
The funding is in addition to the “IMDAD” initiative announced earlier this year to support food security and nutrition in Yemen.
The Cabinet noted the Kingdom’s participation in the 40th session of the Human Rights Council, held in Geneva, and expressed its appreciation of the organization’s role in the promotion and protection of human rights around the world, which Saudi Arabia fully backed.
During the meeting, the Cabinet authorized the go-ahead for talks between Saudi Arabia and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) over the headquarters of the Unified Military Command for member states.
The session also entrusted Saudi state security chiefs to discuss with their Indonesian counterparts a draft memorandum of understanding for cooperation in the field of counter-terrorism.