Jeff's Lebanese hosts, again this year, were far too polite, as was the local
media, to ask the Assistant Secretary about his 2008 Christmas gift to Lebanon
when he promised former Prime Minister Fuad Siniora, that he would personally
see to it that Israel returns Sheba Farms and Ghajar village to Lebanon by
Christmas 2008. Lebanon is still waiting to receive that promised holiday gift.
Feltman, seemingly exasperated, returned to the "Hezbollah is a terrorist organization!"bromide in an attempt to connect with the Lebanese public. "Hezbollah is a terrorist organization that participated in the elections," Feltman told the Israeli Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper on 12/6/11. "But when they dislike the status quo, they impose their will through force and violence."
Surely, Assistant secretary Feltman knows better than to beat the dead horse claim that Hezbollah is a terrorist organization. He must be aware that the State Department relies on Section 140(d)(2) of the Foreign Relations Authorization Act, Fiscal Years 1988 and 1989 for their definition of "terrorism" and listing those who qualify as Foreign Terrorist Organizations.
According to the US State Department, terrorism is the "premeditated, politically motivated violence perpetrated against noncombatant targets by subnational groups or clandestine agents".
The listed organization must engage in terrorist activity, as defined in section 212 (a)(3)(B) of the INA (8 U.S.C. - 1182(a)(3)(B)), or terrorism, as defined in section 140(d)(2) of the Foreign Relations Authorization Act, Fiscal Years 1988 and 1989 (22 U.S.C. - 2656f(d)(2)). And retain the capability and intent to engage in terrorist activity or terrorism.
The organization's terrorist activity or terrorism must also threaten the security of U.S. nationals or the national security (national defense, foreign relations, or the economic interests) of the United States. Admittedly the US Government has had difficulty coordinating its various branches in creating a single definition given that a 1998 Army Report counted 109 different definitions of terrorism.
Feltman understands the current definition and that the US government's definition is unique to subnational groups whereas Hezbollah is not a subnational group within the US government definition but rather is part of the Lebanese government. Furthermore, both the party and the Lebanese Cabinet claim that its militia is part of Lebanon's national defense.
Several examinations, of which Feltman is presumably aware, within and outside US government agencies, have virtually all found that accusations by the US Treasury and the State Department against Hezbollah were not supported by US law or by the facts as uncovered.
A few examples:
(Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher).
