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Tunisia Nobel winner slams [P]GCC blacklisting of Hezbollah

The 2015 Nobel Peace Prize laureate and secretary general of the Tunisian General Labor Union (UGTT), Houcine Abassi (C), attends a photo exhibition marking the 70th anniversary of the UGTT on January 18, 2016, in Tunis. (AFP photo)

A member of Tunisia's Nobel Peace Prize winning quartet has strongly denounced the [Persian] Gulf Cooperation Council [P]GCC for labeling Lebanon’s Hezbollah resistance movement as a terrorist group.

The Tunisian General Labor Union (UGTT) said in a statement on Thursday that the resistance movement was a "symbol of the (Lebanese) national struggle" against the occupational policies of the Israeli regime.

UGTT added that the Saudi-led move against Hezbollah formed part of "an offensive by foreign and other regional forces to divide the Arab world and destroy its forces."

On Wednesday, the [P]GCC, which comprises Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Oman, Bahrain, and Kuwait, designated Hezbollah as a terrorist group.

This comes as Arab monarchies themselves stand accused of supporting extremists and terrorists in the region.

The decision by the [P]GCC to blacklist Hezbollah has been met with harsh criticism by several groups and countries.

Reacting to the move, Hezbollah described the [P]GCC decision a hostile and reckless act. It said the Saudi regime is behind the move and it should bear the responsibility for possible consequences.

Palestinian resistance movement, Islamic Jihad, praised Hezbollah as a resistance movement which has a history in the struggle against Israel as well as in supporting the Palestinian cause.

Iran, Syria and Yemen's Houthi Ansarullah movement have also slammed the move by the [P]GCC. Algeria has refused to classify the movement as a terrorist organization.

Saudi Arabia has also recently suspended a three-billion-dollar package to the Lebanese army and a remainder of one billion dollars in aid to its internal security forces. Saudi Arabia has asked all its nationals in Lebanon to leave the country.

The Saudi hostile policies towards Beirut come following recent victories by the Syrian army, backed by Hezbollah resistance fighters, against the Takfiri militants fighting to topple the Damascus government.

Hezbollah fighters are also fighting against the Daesh and al-Qaeda affiliated al-Nusra Front terrorists on the outskirts of the Lebanese town of Arsal, located on the border with Syria.


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