Barran Press
On November 20, 2024, the New Zealand government officially classified the Houthi movement as a terrorist organization, making it the third country to do so after the United States and Australia. This designation was announced by Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and included Hezbollah among other groups classified as terrorist organizations under New Zealand's anti-terrorism laws.
According to "The Post New Zealand," the classification warns that anyone providing substantial support to either the Houthis or Hezbollah could be committing a crime. The legal notice published in the official gazette also reaffirmed the status of two other terrorist groups: Somalia's Al-Shabaab and the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), while removing the designation for the Basque separatist group ETA.
In explaining the criteria for classifying organizations as terrorist, Luxon stated, “It is very straightforward; to be recognized as a terrorist organization under New Zealand law, we need evidence and must pass several tests showing that the organization knowingly engaged in terrorist activities.”
He noted that while Hezbollah's military wing had previously been designated as a terrorist group, the current classification encompasses the entire organization. The New Zealand police cited decades of activity, including the recent arrest of two individuals in Brazil who were allegedly planning an attack on a Jewish community.
Regarding the Houthis, Luxon described them as a Yemeni rebel group that has attacked commercial ships in the Red Sea, which the group claims is a response to ongoing conflicts in Gaza. He mentioned that earlier this year, New Zealand sent defense personnel to the Middle East to assist U.S.-led efforts against the Houthis.
He added, “The Houthis have been designated as a terrorist organization by the United States and Australia, and their attacks on ships meet the legal definition of terrorism.”
Before the announcement, activist John Minto from the Palestine Solidarity Network criticized the impending classifications as a “cowardly capitulation to U.S. and Israeli interests,” arguing that both Hezbollah and the Houthis have acted against Israeli aggression to protect Palestinians in Gaza.
New Zealand’s Prime Minister indicated that the government would consider the reasons for the activist group's awareness of the designation prior to the public announcement. Meanwhile, Labour Party leader Chris Hipkins stated he had not been briefed on the classifications but deemed them “reasonably sensible” given the context.
Earlier in 2023, Australia designated the Houthis as a terrorist organization due to their attacks on international shipping routes, and the U.S. labeled them a "global terrorist organization" in January 2024 in response to their aggression in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.