Hamas condemns Netanyahu green light for far-right minister to form settler militia

The Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement condemned on Wednesday Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s green light for his National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir to form a “settler militia”, Quds Press has reported. Hamas was referring to the National Guard force which far-right extremist Ben-Gvir wants to form and which will be under his control.

“The formation of a racist and extremist militia aiming to crack down even more on our people in Palestine occupied in 1948 [Israel] is in alignment with previous racist decisions which legalise settler outposts, increase armed raids at the Blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque and give more power to Ben-Gvir to carry out more massacres,” said Hamas official Jihad Taha.

The existence of a “settler militia” run directly by Ben-Gvir, he told Quds Press, “means more raids and searches of Palestinian homes in [Israel] without court orders.”

Nevertheless, Taha insisted, “Such racist and extremist measures will not break the will and persistence of the Palestinians, nor will it destroy Palestinian national identity or cancel the national role of Palestinians [in Israel] in defending Palestine and Al-Aqsa Mosque.”

The Hamas official called for the international community to stand against “the racist Zionist measures” targeting the Palestinians and their land.

On Monday, Ben-Gvir agreed with Netanyahu’s suspension of the judicial overhaul on condition that he be allowed to form the National Guard force which will be subordinate to him.

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