The terrorist organisation Hamas must now be banned in Switzerland once and for all

The devastating attacks by Hamas on Israel show that Hamas can only be described as a brutal terrorist organisation. On the morning of the high Jewish holiday of Simchat Torah, thousands of rockets fell throughout Israel. Terrorist commandos penetrated far into the interior of the country. Their targets were mainly civilians in towns, villages, kibbutzim and even at a music festival. Hundreds were brutally murdered and in many cases literally executed. Dozens, including women and children, were taken to the Gaza Strip. SIG and the Platform of Liberal Jews in Switzerland PLJS are now calling for Switzerland to take a clear stand and ban the terrorist organisation Hamas.

Hamas is not an interlocutor for peace

Hamas represents a profoundly anti-democratic, anti-human and anti-Semitic ideology. Its founding charter calls for the killing of Jews and invokes an anti-Semitic world conspiracy myth. The Swiss Federal Council has so far relied on a Hamas position paper from 2017 in which Hamas claims to be “more pragmatic”. However, this position paper does not replace the founding charter, which has never been described as no longer valid. But even in the new position paper, Israel’s right to exist is denied, and armed conflict is defended as a legitimate means of resistance. Both points have been condemned “in no uncertain terms” by the Federal Council in the past.

Nevertheless, Swiss Middle East policy continues to see itself in dialogue with Hamas. According to the tradition of ‘good offices’, all parties should be spoken to in a conflict in order to keep the dialogue and the possibility of peace talks open. Yet Hamas, with its inhuman and radically destructive attacks and justifications, has now completely discredited itself as an interlocutor for peace. A correspondingly clear position against the organisation’s brutal terror is eminently decisive in the public perception and vis-à-vis Hamas itself.

Hamas is a terrorist organisation – including in Switzerland

A clear classification of Hamas as a terrorist organisation and a ban based on this has been discussed again and again in Switzerland over the years. The Federal Council has repeatedly taken the position that the Federal Act on the Intelligence Service would only allow for a ban of this nature if the United Nations were to pass a corresponding resolution. On this basis, two terrorist groups are in fact currently banned: «Al-Qaeda» and the «Islamic State».

The Federal Council has condemned the unacceptable positions and actions of Hamas. Nonetheless, it fails to recognise and admit that Hamas continues to enjoy legitimacy as a normal political player without a clear ban. This is all the more so the case because Hamas can move freely, collect donations and handle its finances in Switzerland. This is unthinkable in the EU, the US and other countries, where Hamas has long been classified as a terrorist organisation.

The ban on Hamas must come now

Both Jewish umbrella organisations are appalled by the brutal attacks by Hamas. It was pure terror against civilians – men, women, children and the elderly. Mercilessly and without restraint, everyone was shown what Hamas stands for. It is now more than overdue for the Federal Council and Parliament to take a clear stand and send out a signal. In Switzerland, too, Hamas must be called a terrorist organisation and treated as one.