A bipartisan inquiry has urged the federal government to list all of Islamist group Hamas as a terrorist organisation after finding its military wing cannot be separated from its political arm.
The powerful intelligence and security committee said the government, which already lists the military wing, the Al-Qassam Brigades, as a terrorist entity, should consider expanding the definition to the whole group.
The move could have ramifications for Australia’s consular presence in the Gaza Strip, with Hamas in charge of the self-governing Palestinian territory.
Palestinian activists have raised concerns the development could affect Australia’s aid programs and consular support in Gaza and accused the committee of not consulting widely.
The Australian government has listed Hamas’s military wing for a number of years but stopped short of proscribing the entire organisation as a terror group.
The Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security tabled a report on Thursday that recommended the re-listing of Hamas’s military wing, as well as Al-Shabaab, Lashkar-e-Tayyiba, Palestinian Islamic Jihad and the Kurdistan Workers’ Party.
The move could have ramifications for Australia’s consular presence in the Gaza Strip, with Hamas in charge of the self-governing Palestinian territory.
Palestinian activists have raised concerns the development could affect Australia’s aid programs and consular support in Gaza and accused the committee of not consulting widely.
The Australian government has listed Hamas’s military wing for a number of years but stopped short of proscribing the entire organisation as a terror group.
Read the article by Anthony Galloway in The Sydney Morning Herald.