Arab League's Zaki says his remarks on Hezbollah 'misinterpreted'

Arab League assistant secretary-general Hossam Zaki has noted that his recent remarks on Hezbollah have been “misinterpreted.”

Zaki told reporters that his announcement that the League no longer views Hezbollah as a “terrorist” group “does not mean that the many reservations and objections over Hezbollah’s behavior, policies, actions and stances have ceased to exist, not only domestically but also regionally.”

Pro-Hezbollah daily al-Akhbar linked Zaki’s clarification to “pressure practiced mainly by Riyadh.”

“Zaki’s remarks dismayed Riyadh and other Arab capitals and many sides in Lebanon and the region conveyed their objection to the Arab League, topped by the Gulf countries. The U.S. also was not distant from this atmosphere and this is what was stressed by the U.S. State Dept. in a statement yesterday,” al-Akhbar added.

Zaki had announced from Beirut in recent days that “the League has no lists classifying the terrorist organizations,” noting that “Hezbollah’s classification as terrorist began in 2016 and was dropped in the Jeddah summit in 2023 in light of several regional developments.”

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