New Zealand Designates Entirety of Hamas a Terror Group, Sanctions ‘Extremist’ Israelis in Balancing Move

In this Dec. 14, 2014, file photo, masked Palestinian gunmen of the Hamas militant group h
AP Photo/Khalil Hamra
Joshua Klein

New Zealand classified the entirety of the Islamist Hamas organization — both the military and political wings — as a “terrorist group,” arguing that the unprecedented October 7 massacre blurred the lines between Hamas’s military and political factions. However, in what was seen as a move to balance its stance, the government also imposed sanctions on supposedly “extremist” Israelis accused of violence against Palestinians. 

In a joint statement Wednesday, New Zealand’s Prime Minister Christopher Lexon and Foreign Minister Winston Peters officially classified Hamas’ political faction — which operates as the governing body in the Gaza Strip — as a terrorist group, expanding on the 2010 designation of its military wing (the Al-Qassam Brigades), especially after it perpetrated the deadliest attack against Jewish people since the Nazi Holocaust on October 7.

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“[A]fter the October 7 attack, it is no longer possible to distinguish between the military and the political wing of Hamas,” they insisted. “The organization as a whole bears responsibility for these terrible terrorist attacks.”

The coordinated attack saw roughly 3,000 assailants enter Israel, attacking an outdoor music festival and targeting civilians in towns, leading to mass casualties and abductions. The violence, reminiscent of the Holocaust, left approximately 1,200 dead, over 5,300 injured, and at least 241 hostages, with nearly 130 still held. Civilians represent most of the victims, who include dozens of Americans.

Consequently, New Zealand announced sanctions including freezing Hamas’s assets and prohibiting support to the organization, stressing that these measures are directed at Hamas’s actions, not the Palestinian people. The sanctions aim to prevent financial or material aid to Hamas while not affecting humanitarian aid to Palestinian civilians or New Zealand’s development assistance and consular support in the region. 

Peters emphasized New Zealand’s concern for civilian impacts of the conflict and the necessity of a peaceful resolution through the Middle East Peace Process.

Hamas’ political wing officially engages in the provision of social services within the territories it controls, while working to gain political legitimacy and support.

In contrast, in a move seen as intended to balance its stance against Hamas, New Zealand’s government announced travel bans on a number of “extremist” Israeli residents of Judea and Samaria (the West Bank) accused of attacking Palestinians.

Critics have long argued that reports of Israeli settler violence are exaggerated or misconstrued, often relying on unsubstantiated reports, biased NGOs, and minimal evidence to portray a distorted narrative. In that light, given the reality of frequent, widespread, and serious Palestinian terrorism, the focus on settlers does not appear to warrant the international attention it receives​​. 

According to a recent investigation by the Samaria Regional Council, the United Nations fuels the worldwide campaign against “settler violence” by providing skewed data on the matter. Meanwhile, conservative Middle East analyst and commentator Caroline Glick attributed allegations of “settler violence” to the Palestinian need to justify its brutal acts of terrorism and desire to create a “moral equivalence” between Israel and Hamas.

In December, 23 Israeli Knesset members spanning five political parties pushed back against statements from the Biden administration concerning “settler violence,” arguing such instances are extremely rare, especially in comparison to daily acts of Palestinian terror.

Following a series of decisive moves taken by the Biden administration against supposedly rampant Israeli settler violence in recent months, the Israeli legislators decried what they described as a “modern blood libel” against Jewish residents of Judea and Samaria. 

A week after the October 7 massacre, New Zealand voted overwhelmingly for a conservative shift, electing Christopher Luxon’s National Party and ending the centre-left Labour Party’s six-year reign under Chris Hipkins. Luxon’s victory marked a call for change and a new direction for New Zealand.

Luxon, a former Air New Zealand CEO and newcomer to politics, promised economic revitalization and tax relief in response to the economic downturn and cost of living crisis affecting the country. 

Vowing to “restore law and order,” Luxon has stated his aims to address living costs, healthcare, and education to fulfill New Zealanders’ aspirations. His immediate plans have included tackling youth crime, banning cellphones in schools, and cancelling fuel tax increases proposed by Labour. 

In contrast, Labour has faced a significant loss, reflecting public concern over economic issues.

In 2022, Australia designated Hamas as a terrorist organization in its entirety, expanding its previous designation of just the military wing​​. 

Additionally, in 2021, the United Kingdom updated its stance to designate Hamas fully as a terrorist organization​​.

The United States designated Hamas in its entirety as a terrorist organization in 1995​.

Joshua Klein is a reporter for Breitbart News. Email him at jklein@breitbart.com. Follow him on Twitter @JoshuaKlein.

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