New Zealand has designated Iranian-backed Hezbollah and Houthis as terrorist organizations, the New Zealand government announced on Wednesday.
“It’s very simple. For any organization to be deemed a terrorist organization under New Zealand legislation, we have to have evidence, and we go through a number of tests under our legislation, that organization has knowingly undertaken terrorist activity,” New Zealand's prime minister, Christopher Luxon, said to The Post, a New Zealand newspaper.
I congratulate the government of New Zealand on its decision today to designate Hezbollah and the Houthis (Ansar Allah) as terrorist organizations.New Zealand has now become the 30th country in the world to designate Hezbollah, in its entirety, as a terrorist organization.
— Gideon Sa'ar | גדעון סער (@gidonsaar) November 20, 2024
Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar responded to this ruling on X/Twitter, "I congratulate the government of New Zealand on its decision today to designate Hezbollah and the Houthis as terrorist organizations."
"New Zealand has now become the 30th country in the world to designate Hezbollah, in its entirety, as a terrorist organization," he added.
Israeli ambassador to New Zealand Ran Yaakoby posted, "Congratulations, NZ, for doing the right thing!"
Congratulations, NZ, for doing the right thing ! https://t.co/7kodGEAis0
— Ambassador Ran Yaakoby (@ISRAmbNZ) November 20, 2024
United Against Nuclear Iran's Policy Director Jason Brodsky also shared his response, "Today, New Zealand has designated the entirety of Hezbollah as a terrorist entity. Since 2010, it has listed just the military wing. As a member of the Five Eyes, this was long overdue for New Zealand.
Hamas as a terrorist entity
In February, New Zealand listed the terrorist group Hamas in its entirety as a terrorist entity. It also imposed travel bans on "extremist" Israeli settlers whom it said had committed violent attacks against Palestinians in the West Bank.
Prime Minister Luxon had said that the attacks by Hamas on Israel in October "were brutal and we have unequivocally condemned them."
But he added that "New Zealand wants to be clear that the designation of Hamas is about the actions of an offshore terrorist entity and is not a reflection on the Palestinian people in Gaza and around the world."