Europeans making friends with Hezbollah

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BEIRUT, Lebanon – Certain European countries are taking advantage of the Iranian agreement over its nuclear program to repair ties with the Iranian-backed Lebanese Hezbollah as a European Union ban imposed last July on Hezbollah's "military wing" expires, according to report in Joseph Farah's G2 Bulletin.

Observers say Hezbollah's military wing and "political" wing are hard to distinguish.

The French ambassador to Lebanon, Patrick Paoli, recently hosted a dinner honoring Hezbollah members of parliament, Ali Fayyad and Nawwar Saheli, including the head of Hezbollah's international affairs office, Ammar Moussawi.

The ban imposed last July came following an E.U. determination that Hezbollah was responsible for a bomb attack against Israeli tourists in Bulgaria. Six people died in that blast. However, Hezbollah denied any involvement.

In addition, the E.U. also reacted to Hezbollah's military support for the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, a development which has turned the tide in the government's favor against the Syrian opposition, which includes elements of al-Qaida.

One of the main reasons the Europeans are taking the political opportunity of the recent Western agreement with Iran over its nuclear program is due to the increasing presence of the Saudi-backed Islamist militant fighters and al-Qaida, not only in Syria, but, increasingly, in Lebanon.

Sources say the dinner with the French ambassador to Lebanon was significant since it reopened communications with a political party that has national and regional influence, given the growth of the Islamist militant elements.

Taking their cue from the Russians, the Europeans see Hezbollah as having a major role in any regional settlement, which could culminate in January in the so-called Geneva II peace conference.

That conference would involve the Russians, the U.S., Syrian government, possibly Iran and the Arab League. There remains a question whether the Syrian opposition will show up, since it remains split in its leadership and split on attending any meeting with the Syrian government present.

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