Israel wants tough EU stance on Hezbollah

• Tweet

STRASBOURG, France, March 12 (UPI) -- Israeli President Shimon Peres told the European Parliament it was time to take a tough stance on Hezbollah.

Peres spoke at European Parliament Tuesday in Strasbourg, France. The Israeli president is making the European rounds to garner support for countering threats ranging from Iran to Lebanese movement Hezbollah.

EU member Bulgaria last month identified Hezbollah as the responsible party for an attack last year in Burgas that targeted Israeli tourists.

Peres said Hezbollah's track record meant it was time for the European Union to take the terrorism threat seriously, The Jerusalem Post reports.

"Recently, 20 terror attempts by Hezbollah were counted all over the world, in India, Thailand, Georgia, South Africa, the U.S., Egypt and Greece, among others," he was quoted as saying.

The United States and Britain consider Hezbollah a terrorist entity. Last month, British Foreign Secretary William Hague called on the European Union to make sure that "no organization can carry out terrorism on European soil without consequences."

Hezbollah's political arm has Cabinet-level positions in the Lebanese government. The European Union maintains listing the organization as a terrorist entity would interfere with diplomatic relations with Beirut.