• June 5, 2003: Australia listed Hezbollah’s External Security Organization (ESO) as a terrorist organization.
• November 24, 2021: Australia announces intention to proscribe Hezbollah in its entirety

Australia designated Hezbollah’s External Security Organization (ESO), also known as the Islamic Jihad Organization, as a terrorist entity on June 5, 2003. The rest of Hezbollah remains undesignated. Australia’s designation describes the ESO as a “discrete entity within Hizballah,” and its operations as “highly compartmentalized,” seemingly suggesting that the ESO is distinct enough from the rest of the organization’s operations to warrant different treatment. At the same time, the Australian government acknowledges that the “ESO exists within Hizballah’s organizational structure…under a consultative council…led by Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah,” which it admits controls all of Hezbollah’s activities. Australia designated the ESO despite acknowledging that it posed “no known specific threats to Australia or Australian interests.”

Australian Home Affairs Minister Karen Andrews announced Canberra’s intention to proscribe Hezbollah in its entirety as a terrorist organization, expanding the country’s prior designation on the group’s External Security Organization (ESO) – the branch of Hezbollah which carries out terror attacks outside of Lebanon. Andrews explained that the expanded designation followed the recommendation of a bipartisan parliamentary inquiry to proscribe Hezbollah in its entirety. In announcing its, Canberra said Hezbollah continues “to threaten terrorist attacks and provide support to terrorist organizations such as Palestinian Islamic Jihad and Hamas’ Izzedine Al-Qassam Brigades,” and added that the group represents a tangible threat to Australia. Earlier in November, Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett had asked Australia to designate Hezbollah in its entirety, in a meeting with Australia Prime Minister Scott Morrison at the UN Climate Conference in Glasgow on Monday.

Hezbollah’s Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah responded to the designation by saying that it would not change the group’s behavior or its approach to Israel. Hezbollah also issued a statement condemning the move as “bowing to American Zionist diktat.”

The final decision to implement the ban on Hezbollah lies with Australia’s Governor-General, on the advice of the government, which would then criminalize any membership or association with the designated group. The move would prohibit membership in any part of Hezbollah, including its political “wing,” making it punishable by up to 25 years in prison. To date, it appears the decision has not yet been implemented. Australia’s National Security website’s listed terrorist organization continues to include only Hezbollah’s External Security Organization – whose designation was renewed on May 2, 2021.