RealityPartyAustralia

ISLAMIC TERROR GROUP WITH A DECADES LONG HISTORY OF VIOLENCE AND THE KILLING OF MORE THAN 3000 PEOPLE, SAYS “DON’T CALL US TERRORISTS” 🤡 Hamas, the Palestinian Islamist group responsible for the October 7 massacre in Israel, has launched a fresh court bid to scrap its terror listing in Australia. Federal Court documents, obtained by the Herald Sun, show the terror group is asking the court to throw out a March 2022 decision by the Morrison government to list the entirety of Hamas as a terrorist organisation. Prior to that listing, which brought Australia into line with the US and UK, only Hamas’s military wing the Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades, had been proscribed as terrorists. The listing was made more than 18 months before Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, 2023, killing 1200 people including babies and young festival goers in a frenzied rampage through southern Israel. The fresh legal bid has outraged Jewish groups who have slammed the terror group for its “breathtaking” audacity and urged the Australian government to vigorously defend the designation. In the new legal documents, Hamas, which governs Gaza, disputes that all casualties and events from 7 October, 2023, can be considered terrorist acts perpetrated by Hamas, and claims to pose no threat to Australia. They are also arguing that its other services, such as humanitarian, medical, education, water, disability and administrative functions, cannot be treated as “terrorist acts”. According to Federal Court documents, Hamas’ initial application to the government to be delisted as a terror organisation was rejected in July last year. It then made a fresh bid in November, which, according to documents, an Australian Government Solicitor said it would consider. But it appears no decision has been made by the government, prompting this latest court bid, which included an administrative hearing on Monday. Last year the Indigenous activist and radio host Robbie Thorpe, who is the uncle of outspoken independent Senator Lidia Thorpe, also brought a case on behalf of the organisation. That case was thrown out in February by Federal Court Justice Graeme Hill in February, with Mr Thorpe declaring this “not the end of it”. It is being represented by Sydney solicitor Daniel Taylor who acted for Mr Thorpe in his case. Immigration Minister Tony Burke appears to be untroubled by Hamas action, telling Herald Sun: “If people that bad hate me, it’s a badge of honour,” he said. Zionist Federation of Australia (ZFA) President Jeremy Leibler said there was no question Hamas belonged on the terror list and the “sheer audacity” of the court bin was “breathtaking”. “Hamas can engage as many lawyers as it likes, but no amount of legal argument can erase the atrocities of October 7 or its decades-long record of terrorism,” he said. Executive Council of Australian Jewry co-chief executive Alex Ryvchin said the bid was a disturbing progression in pro-Palestinian activism in this country. “Not satisfied with vilifying Israelis and Jewish Australians they now seek to defend Hamas in the courts,’ he said. “The effect of this would be to allow Australians to donate money to Hamas and publicly support it. “While there is no prospect of this action succeeding, the very fact that any Australian lawyers would seek to bring this action denigrates the profession and shows the malice and fanaticism running through the anti-Israel movement.” Hamas is seeking relief from a federal court judge, calling for a declaration that the listing regulations are invalid or inoperative, or an order of mandamus forcing the government to act on its delisting bid. The case is set to return to court in May for an interlocutory hearing. The Herald Sun was unable to contact Hamas’ lawyer, Mr Taylor.