"Since the 1980s," he added, "the United States listing of Hezbollah on its list of terrorist organizations has been seen as a unilateral act, while the Lebanese party was improving its international relations, especially with EU states. This may now change."

Mikati said Tuesday his government is "ready to cooperate in clarifying the circumstances" of the attack "in fairness and safeguarding justice," but he did not address the accusations against Hezbollah .

Hage Ali said that if Hezbollah were designated a terrorist group by the EU it would virtually eliminate the European role in mediating between Hezbollah and Israel on such issues as negotiating prisoner exchanges.

Germany has been especially active in mediating on humanitarian issues. But there have been signals in the past few months from senior figures in Angela Merkel's coalition that the mood is shifting.

Last August, the foreign policy spokesman for Merkel's Christian Democratic Union, Philipp Missfelder, told the Jerusalem Post it was "long overdue to place Hezbollah on the EU's list of terror organizations."

The British foreign secretary, William Hague, has also called on the EU to reopen discussions on Hezbollah's status.