The son of Egypt’s late president Gamal Abdel Nasser has slammed a recent decision by some Arab nations to designate Lebanese resistance movement Hezbollah as terrorist, saying the move serves the interests of Israel and constitutes a betrayal of the Palestinian cause.
“Such decisions do not change the reality and their sole benefit is to expose the extent of plots against Palestine, Syria and resistance,” said Abdel Hakim Nasser in an interview with Iranian Fars News Agency published on Monday.
On Wednesday, the [Persian] Gulf Cooperation Council - which comprises Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates - issued a statement labeling Hezbollah a terrorist organization. The decision has sparked massive criticism with many saying it shows the anger of Saudi Arabia, which leads the six-nation bloc, at the victories of Hezbollah and allies in the Syrian conflict.
Nasser said Hezbollah has been regarded over the years as a protector of the Arab World against the Israeli aggression and the [P]GCC’s decision to enlist the group as a terror organization would certainly “benefit Israel” and would “stoke sectarian strife” in the Middle East region.
“How could a resistance (movement) like Hezbollah be called a terrorist entity, while it is one of the largest anti-Zionist resistance movements in the region and it has always been attacked by the Israeli enemy throughout its history because of the group's acts of sacrifice and resistance,” the Egyptian intellectual asked, calling on the [P]GCC to revise its controversial decision on Hezbollah.
Nasser said the Arab nations will punish “those traitors who have pinned their hopes on Zionists and its supporters.”