Arab League’s Zaki claims Hezbollah comments ‘misinterpreted’

Arab League assistant secretary-general Hossam Zaki has clarified that his recent comments about Hezbollah have been “misinterpreted.”

Zaki explained to reporters that his statement indicating the League no longer views Hezbollah as a “terrorist” group does not imply that the concerns and objections regarding Hezbollah’s behavior, policies, actions, and stances have been resolved, either domestically or regionally.

The pro-Hezbollah daily Al-Akhbar linked Zaki’s clarification to pressure primarily from Riyadh.

“Zaki’s remarks dismayed Riyadh and other Arab capitals, with many parties in Lebanon and the region, especially the Gulf countries, expressing their objections to the Arab League. The U.S. was also involved, as highlighted in a statement from the U.S. State Department yesterday,” Al-Akhbar reported.

Zaki had recently stated from Beirut that “the League has no lists classifying terrorist organizations,” adding that “Hezbollah’s classification as a terrorist group began in 2016 and was dropped at the Jeddah summit in 2023 due to various regional developments.”

Zaki made these remarks after meeting with MP Mohammad Raad, the head of Hezbollah’s parliamentary bloc, in Haret Hreik.