[ad_1] Australia has issued a clear warning that Hamas is a declared terrorist organisation and providing support to it is a crime as the Prime Mini
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Australia has issued a clear warning that Hamas is a declared terrorist organisation and providing support to it is a crime as the Prime Minister condemned anti-Semitic protests in Sydney.
Disturbing images have emerged from pro-Palestinian rallies in Sydney, including one TikTok account showing a man “interviewing” horse excrement to get the “pro-Israeli point of view”.
Home Affairs Minister Clare O’Neil issued the urgent warning on Hamas today after some protesters offered support for the militant organisation.
“I have spent today being briefed on the deplorable attacks on Israel by Hamas and the implications for Australia,’’ Ms O’Neil said.
“Hamas is listed as a terrorist organisation in Australia and anyone providing support to Hamas could be committing a crime.
“We condemn the attacks and stand with Jewish Australians in our heartbreak over the lost lives of innocent people.”
The protests in support of Palestine took place after hundreds of Israelis were gunned down at a music festival by militants. Israeli women and children were also kidnapped from their homes and in some cases murdered.
More than 800 Israelis and 500 Palestinians have died amid heavy fighting and bombardment in the wake of the largest attack by Hamas against Israel in decades.
A plan to light up the Opera House in blue and white in support of Israel sparked the large pro-Palestinian protest and police advice for Jewish families to stay away for their own safety.
“Look, even I’ve now seen the images just recently and they’re horrific,’’ Mr Albanese told Sky News.
“Quite clearly slogans which are anti Semitic and just appalling. I did say that that demonstration shouldn’t have gone ahead, and I stand by that.”
Mr Albanese said he accepted that Palestinian families were also suffering.
“We are a tolerant multicultural nation. I understand that people have deep views about issues relating to the Middle East conflict,’’ he said.
“But here in Australia, we have to deal with political discourse in a respectful way.
“And I certainly didn’t see that from the footage that I saw last night, which is one of the reasons why I believe it was just inappropriate for it to go ahead last night.
“We certainly acknowledge, I acknowledge, Palestinian suffering has occurred over a long period of time.
“Nothing justifies what we saw on the weekend. Nothing justifies the slaughter of innocent civilians trying to enjoy a music festival.”
Jewish groups have condemned the protests as difficult to comprehend.
“It is hard to believe that an icon of Sydney was defiled in such a way with videos of protesters chanting “F*** the Jews”, burning Israeli flags and lighting and throwing flares. We are also aware of other incidents and are responding appropriately,” NSW JBD president David Ossip said.
Executive Council of Australian Jewry co-CEO Alex Ryvchin said worshippers of death, rape and misery had no place in civilised society.
“We have all seen the horrific images and videos. Women stripped naked and paraded. Infant children taken from their parents, taunted and tormented by Palestinian kids. Bodies dragged and desecrated,’’ he said.
Mr Albanese declined to be drawn on whether there were any Australians that remain unaccounted for.
“We are working with DFAT consistently. There’s nothing I can add publicly at this time,’’ he said.
“But we’re working with families, people who have relatives and others in the region.”
Mr Albanese urged the community to engage in respectful dialogue.
“We need to lower the temperature. I don’t want to see conflict here in Australia, and I don’t want to see the sort of scenes that I saw last night,’’ he said.
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