Hamas and Hezbollah Banned: ‘We Decide Who is the Terrorist’

By Jeremy Salt

The previous few weeks have been a really gratifying time for the colonial-settler regime in Palestine. Hamas and Hezbollah have been listed as terrorist organizations by the UK and Australian governments, a brand new ‘’commerce and protection’’ pact has been initialed by the UK and Israel and an identical settlement signed between Israel and Morocco protecting ‘safety,’ intelligence-sharing and ‘‘future arms gross sales.’’

The broader Arab world context for this final settlement is the 2020 choice by Morocco, the UAE, Bahrain and Sudan to ‘normalize’ relations with the Zionist state: the Trump administration rewarded Morocco by supporting its declare to Western Sahara, in opposition to the worldwide consensus that its standing must be resolved by referendum.

Aside from these preparations with Arab governments, Israel has been repeatedly strengthening business, navy and strategic relations with Greece and the federal government of southern Cyprus: what’s steadily taking form is a brand new vector of operations within the jap Mediterranean, threatening to the quick and long-term business and strategic pursuits of Turkey and including a brand new dimension to the navy menace to Syria.

In 2017 Israel unilaterally expanded its “unique financial zone” within the jap Mediterranean. Coastal waters (22.2 km), what is named a ‘contiguous zone’ (22.2 km) and its ‘unique financial zone’ (22,000 sq. km) give it authority over 26,000 sq. km of the jap Mediterranean. This block of water extends 203.7 km out from the coast within the south and 129.6 within the north and is adjoining to the big EEZ declared round Cyprus, together with the Turkish north.

In March 2021, Israel, Greece, Cyprus and France staged naval struggle video games aimed toward assembly “challenges and threats” within the jap Mediterranean, in line with a Greek naval spokesman.  In April, Greece and Israel established a joint air pressure coaching middle in Greece. Arms gross sales and coaching by Israeli troops within the mountains of southern Cyprus, aimed toward fight with Hezbollah, as a result of the terrain is much like southern Lebanon, are additionally concerned within the regular consolidation of this multilateral collaboration.  In November 2021, the UAE, Bahrain, Israel and the US held joint naval workouts within the Crimson Sea, and naturally, the US has a string of air and naval bases down the Persian/Arabian Gulf in addition to the Diego Garcia naval base within the Indian Ocean. Steadily, from the jap Mediterranean all the way down to the gulf, the noose is being tightened across the Center East’s ‘axis of resistance.’

‘IDQ’ – Hamas’ Izz al-Din al Qassam Brigades – have been listed by the UK authorities as a terrorist group by the UK authorities in March 2001 however now, as of late November 2021, the group has been proscribed in its entirety. Underneath the Terrorism Act of 2000, the UK authorities defines terrorism because the use or menace of motion involving critical violence in opposition to an individual; critical injury to property endangering an individual’s life (aside from that of the particular person committing the act); making a critical danger to the well being or security of the general public or a piece of the general public; or an act designed significantly to intervene with or significantly disrupt an digital system.

On this foundation it’s now a legal offense within the UK to belong to Hamas; to ask assist for it (assist outlined as that means ethical in addition to materials assist comparable to money donations); to specific a perception or opinion that’s supportive of Hamas (this could naturally have to incorporate the spoken in addition to the printed phrase); arranging or managing (or helping in arranging or managing) a gathering within the information that it has been referred to as to assist or additional the actions of Hamas; sporting clothes or displaying articles in such a manner as to arouse ‘’affordable suspicion’’ that the person sporting the clothes or carrying the flag is a member of Hamas; and publishing a picture of an merchandise of clothes or different articles comparable to a flag or a emblem (probably on a T-shirt) that signifies assist for Hamas.

The penalty for these offenses ranges from a jail time period of 14 years all the way down to a six-month jail time period and a 5000 pound fantastic for lesser offenses comparable to displaying a Hamas emblem on an merchandise of clothes or carrying a Hamas flag. These prescriptions are extra-territorial, which signifies that any UK citizen discovered responsible of committing overseas which are thought to be crimes underneath British legislation will be prosecuted on return to the house nation.

The justification for itemizing Hamas as a terrorist group,  in line with the House Workplace is that Hamas had very not too long ago killed a Jewish settler in Jerusalem and had launched indiscriminate rocket assaults in opposition to Israeli targets. In Might 2021, in line with one other instance given by the UK authorities, Hamas fired 4000 rockets into Israel, killing two youngsters. Hamas has additionally incessantly floated incendiary balloons throughout the Gaza fence, beginning fires at settlements in southern Israel which have resulted in injury to property.

Earlier than making the required comparisons between the injury achieved by Hamas rockets and incendiary balloons and the injury achieved by Israeli missiles in Might 2021, there may be maybe a must return to the UK authorities’s personal definition of terrorism and apply it to the intense violence directed in opposition to different nations in recent times by the UK and its allies, both straight (as in Iraq) or via armed proxies (as within the instances of Libya, Syria and Yemen). All of its personal definitions of terrorism apply, together with numerous types of assist for terrorist teams, actions involving critical violence to an individual (or individuals) and dangers to the well being and security of a inhabitants or a part of a inhabitants.

Israel has fallen into this class, clearly, for the final seven many years, France and Britain for for much longer, and France, Britain and the US prior to now three many years, of their wars on Iraq and Libya, and their proxy wars on  Syria and Yemen. Of their struggle on Iraq in 1991, they killed tons of of 1000’s of Iraqi civilians, many 1000’s of them youngsters: the estimates start at about 200,000 and go as much as greater than 1,000,000.

The logic of the struggle was ‘the enemy as a system’ which meant that the attacking armies intentionally focused civilian infrastructure, together with roads, bridges, highways, sewage works and electrical energy and water provide crops. The destruction of civilian services was the reason for oblique loss of life of many Iraqis, particularly youngsters and particularly the very younger.  The WHO (World Well being Group) mentioned Iraq’s well being system had been set again 50 years.  By 1998 toddler mortality had risen from 40 per 1000 births in 1990 to 103 per 1000 births; under-five mortality from 50 per thousand youngsters to 103 per thousand.

Within the decade of sanctions which adopted, utilized and upheld to the bitter finish by the UK and the US, the variety of lifeless steadily rose, together with the variety of wounded, the maimed for all times, the infants broken within the womb by means of depleted uranium bombs and the tens of millions of Iraqis who fled their shattered nation, constituting the best refugee downside since Palestine in 1948 (till the assault on Syria).

Once more, there isn’t any consensus on the variety of Iraqis who have been killed or died as the results of sanctions however a place to begin for estimates is the Lancet’s 601, 027 violent deaths out of 654, 965 extra deaths. Different figures rise to greater than 1,000,000 civilian, with tons of of 1000’s of youngsters amongst them. It’s scarcely any marvel that UN humanitarian coordinators described these sanctions, designed and utilized by governments now telling us who’re the terrorists, as genocidal.

Saudi Arabia, provided with armaments by the UK and the US, launched its struggle on Yemen in 2015, with civilian infrastructure excessive on the listing of targets of its air pressure.   In December 2020, the UN put the variety of lifeless, together with tens of 1000’s of youngsters killed in missile assaults or dying of different causes associated to the struggle, at 233,000; by now this determine has actually elevated to 250,000 or extra.

In June 2019, embarrassed by the civilian loss of life toll, the UK authorities banned weapons gross sales to the Saudi authorities. Nevertheless, it lifted the ban on February 9, 2021, and between July and September, this 12 months approved the sale of $1.9 billion value of arms to the Saudis, with missiles and bombs accounting for $1.88 million of this quantity. The British ban was lifted the day after President Biden introduced an finish to all US assist for ‘’offensive operations’’ by the Saudis in Yemen together with ‘’related’’ arms gross sales.   What this loophole is designed to hide is anybody’s guess.

Now we will flip to the sufferer of terrorism within the Center East, Israel, as designated by the British authorities.  Hamas is condemned for the killing of two Israeli youngsters in Might 2021, and for floating incendiary balloons throughout the Gaza fence. Its missiles not often kill. They trigger slight materials injury however a number of panic, whereas the balloons are often the reason for small fires.  Keep in mind that the settlements taking a lot of the punishment, slight as it’s, have been constructed on ethnically cleansed land. The seizure of this land from its Palestinian house owners stays unlawful, regardless of the occupier’s legislation has to say about it. Palestinians haven’t simply an inherent proper however a proper underneath worldwide legislation to withstand occupation and take up arms in opposition to the occupier, regardless of the British authorities thinks.

To place these actions into the context studiously ignored by the British authorities we’ve got to return to what occurred in Might this 12 months, starting in occupied East Jerusalem, the place makes an attempt to drive Palestinians out of their houses in Shaikh Jarrah and change them with Jewish settlers have been the set off for road resistance which unfold to the Haram al-Sharif. A whole lot of Palestinian demonstrators have been wounded by Israeli ‘safety forces’ who invaded this occupied Muslim sanctuary.

On Might 10, Hamas warned Israel that if it didn’t withdraw its forces from the Haram, it could launch rocket assaults and when Israel didn’t reply, it did.  Israel responded with missile strikes, destroying or damaging, by Might 16, forty faculties, 4 hospitals and nineteen medical clinics; including to the listing, the UN mentioned on Might 17 that Israel had destroyed 94 buildings, together with the 12-story Jala’a Tower, housing AP, and different media places of work, and 461 residences or business/media places of work.

By the point a ceasefire got here into impact on Might 21 not less than 256 Palestinians had been killed, together with 66 youngsters, with 13 Israelis killed on the opposite aspect of the Gaza fence, together with the 2 youngsters: within the eyes of the British authorities, solely the Israeli youngsters are the victims of terrorism, the 66 equally lifeless Palestinian youngsters the victims of a mistake or on the most a disproportionate navy response.

Working backward through the years the loss of life and injury inflicted by the UK’s sufferer of terrorism contains an estimated 2220 Palestinians killed in Gaza between July/August 2014, 1492 of them civilians, 299 of this quantity girls and 551 of them youngsters; not less than 1417 civilians killed in Israel’s assault on Gaza in 2008/9, together with 1000’s of houses, 15 of 27 hospitals,  43 well being clinics and 800 water wells broken or destroyed;  about 1200 civilians,  30 p.c of them youngsters underneath the age of 13, killed in Israel’s assault on southern Lebanon in 2006;  19,000-20,000 Palestinians, Lebanese and Syrians killed in  Israel’s onslaught on Lebanon in 1982, together with an estimated 30,000 wounded and large materials injury; in 1978,  1000-2000 civilians killed throughout Israel’s assault on Lebanon in that 12 months.

To those figures must be added the Palestinians killed within the occupied West Financial institution and occupied Jerusalem, the Syrians and Iranians killed in missile strikes on Syria and from sabotage in Iran and the 250 or extra Gazan Palestinians shot lifeless in the course of the ‘March of Return’ (2007-2009), with 1000’s extra intentionally maimed for all times by Israeli snipers firing the opposite aspect of the fence. They focused, the younger, the outdated, the handicapped and medical personnel, typically taking pleasure on the accuracy of their capturing, however it’s not they or their authorities who’re the terrorists: it’s their victims and the organizations attempting to defend them.

Shortly after saying the proscription of Hamas, the UK’s International Secretary, Liz Truss, introduced a 10-year ‘’commerce and protection’’ settlement with Israel, protecting cybersecurity, involving ‘a joint dedication to forestall Iran from buying nuclear weapons and establishing Israel as a ‘tier one’ accomplice of the UK.  As examples of ‘’appalling assaults’’ on Israel Truss referred to the current capturing in Jerusalem of a South African Jewish settler by a ‘’Hamas militant’’ and the demonstration in opposition to Tzipi Hovotely at LSE (London Faculty of Economics).

Hotovely, the Zionist state’s senior envoy to the UK, is an extremist even for a Zionist. She is against assimilation of Jews in any type (together with combined marriages), has referred to as the Nakba ‘’a very talked-about Arab lie’’, says all of Palestine is just for the Jewish folks and, like Golda Meir half a century earlier than her, believes there may be ‘’no actuality’’ the place a Palestinian folks or state exist: thus, no previous, no historical past, and no heritage.

In opposition to protests by Palestinian college students and 18 different pupil teams, Hotovely managed to talk at LSE however was besieged by demonstrators afterward when she was led out of the constructing by her safety element and rushed away by automobile. Predictably, regardless of its clear political nature, the protest was described as antisemitic by Zionist lobbyists and senior Labor and Conservative figures, together with House Secretary Priti Patel.

At about the identical time the British authorities was banning any type of assist for Hamas, the Australian Minister for House Affairs, Karen Andrews, was inserting Hezbollah on Australia’s listing of terrorist organizations.  The ban was imposed only some weeks after Naftali Bennett met Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison on the sidelines of the Glasgow local weather convention and requested him to ban Hezbollah. After all, Morrison, dedicated to Israel as a beacon of democracy within the Center East and sharing Israel’s dedication to the rule of legislation,  complied. Bennett thanked ‘’my pal,’’ Morrison, remarking that this ‘‘proper development’’ of an ally was ‘’very gratifying.’’

The timing of the 2 bulletins suggests not a coincidence however coordination between two members of the ‘5 eyes’ navy, intelligence and strategic alliance (Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Britain and the US).

The ‘Izz al-Din al Qassam Brigades (named, it ought to by no means be forgotten, after one of many nice heroes of the nice Palestinian rebellion – the primary intifada – within the Thirties) have been listed as a terrorist group by the Australian authorities in 2003.  In October 2021, the parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Safety beneficial that the group be banned in its entirety:   this now appears probably, following the choice taken by the British authorities.

Hezbollah’s navy arm was listed as a terrorist group in 2003 underneath Australia’s Exterior Safety Act however now the motion is totally proscribed, no matter the truth that Hezbollah is strongly represented in Lebanon’s parliament, holds two portfolios within the cupboard not too long ago fashioned by Prime Minister Najib Mikati, has the assist of many Christians in addition to its most important Shia constituency and, after all, removed from being a terrorist group has defended Lebanon in opposition to Zionist assault and occupation for almost 4 many years.

Justifying the Australian choice, Ms. Andrews mentioned Hezbollah ‘’continued to threaten terrorist assaults” and posed a ‘‘actual menace’’ to Australia, a declare for which she supplied not a shred of proof.  She mentioned Australia had ‘’zero tolerance’’ for violence: what she did not say, after all, is that Australia’s ‘’zero tolerance’’ relies on the place the violence comes from. What the file reveals is that Australia has joined unprovoked assaults on many different nations in recent times which have brought about the loss of life, wounding, or flight of tens of millions of individuals.

It has brutally and callously blocked the entry into Australia of refugees from nations it has helped to destroy, and it has a seamless file of tolerating Israeli violence in all its varieties, in addition to voting in opposition to UN resolutions important of the Zionist state and blocking makes an attempt to prosecute Zionist politicians and navy commanders within the ICJ (Worldwide Court docket of Justice).

The proscription of Hezbollah signifies that it will likely be a legal offense, punishable by as much as 25 years in jail, for any Australian to be a member of the group, to recruit for it, to be educated by it, to fund any of its actions, to obtain cash for it, to offer assist or affiliate with it in any manner.  Hezbollah responded by describing the ban as ‘’servile submission to American and Zionist dictates”.

Whereas all the above must be recorded, none of it should or ought to shock anybody. With out the safety of the British authorities, the Zionist motion wouldn’t have gotten its foot via the door in Palestine within the first place. As represented by Truss within the UK and Andrews in Australia, the pandering to Israel and its lobbyists has continued with out ceasing to the current day.

The closest Britain has come to redress the injury it has achieved to the Palestinians for greater than a century is the election of Jeremy Corbyn as chief of the Labor Social gathering which meant, after all, that he had to get replaced. The deceit, cowardice and hypocrisy via all of this are unremarkable as a result of it’s not more than enterprise as normal for these governments. The highly effective thrive, the weak battle to outlive: the whole lot else is façade.

– Jeremy Salt taught on the College of Melbourne, at Bosporus College in Istanbul and Bilkent College in Ankara for a few years, specializing within the fashionable historical past of the Center East. Amongst his current publications is his 2008 e book, The Unmaking of the Center East. A Historical past of Western Dysfunction in Arab Lands (College of California Press). He contributed this text to The Palestine Chronicle.