AUSTRALIA TO LIST PALESTINIAN GROUP HAMAS AS TERRORIST GROUP

Thu 17 February 2022:

The Australian government has stated that it intends to add the Palestinian movement Hamas as a whole to its list of outlawed “terrorist” groups.

In response, Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem told Al Jazeera the movement strongly condemned Australia’s decision on Thursday, saying the move pointed to clear bias towards Israel. He added that the planned listing contravenes international laws that protect Palestinians’ right to resist Israeli occupation.

“Hamas is a national liberation movement that resists the occupation in accordance with international laws and resolutions and humanitarian agreements,” he said.

“Those who should be classified as terrorists are the Israeli occupation who deliberately target Palestinians and violate international and humanitarian laws and covenants,” Qassem said.

In 2003, Australia designated Hamas’ al-Qassam Brigades military arm as a “terrorist” group, but the latest designation, which will take effect in April, will include the entire organization, including its political component.

“The views of Hamas and the violent extremist groups listed today are deeply disturbing, and there is no place in Australia for their hateful ideologies,” said Home Affairs Minister Karen Andrews.

The designation will place restrictions on financing or providing other support to Hamas – with certain offences carrying a 25-year prison sentence.

“It is vital that our laws target not only terrorist acts and terrorists, but also the organisations that plan, finance and carry out these acts,” Andrews said.

However, the Australia Palestine Advocacy Network, a national coalition of Australians who support Palestinian rights, disagreed with the designation, claiming that it does nothing to advance the cause of peace and will only add to the suffering of the two million Palestinians who currently live under Israel’s 15-year blockade.

“The government has failed in its duty of searching for a peaceful solution and has shown it applies one set of rules to Palestine and another to Israel,” Network President Bishop George Browning said.

Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett praised Australia’s decision, calling it “another important step in the global fight against terrorism”.

Yair Lapid, Israel’s foreign minister, hailed Australian Ambassador to Israel Paul Griffiths for what he called a “significant step” in Israel’s worldwide campaign to combat terrorist groups.

Hamas has ruled the besieged Gaza Strip since 2007, and the two sides have fought three wars since then. In May of last year, an 11-day Israeli attack on Gaza killed at least 248 Palestinians, including 66 children, and injured over 1,900 others. At least 12 people in Israel have been killed by rockets fired from Gaza, including two toddlers.

SOURCE: INDEPENDENT PRESS AND NEWS AGENCIES

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

FOLLOW INDEPENDENT PRESS:

TWITTER (CLICK HERE)
https://twitter.com/IpIndependent