Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan condemns Hamas attacks on Israel

Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan has condemned the Hamas attacks on Israel as “terrorist attacks” after initially sidestepping the issue.

Premier Jacinta Allan has condemned the Palestinian militant group’s massacre of hundreds of innocent civilians in Israelis “terrorist attacks”.

In a statement on Tuesday afternoon, Ms Allan moved to condemn the brutal acts that occurred on Saturday.

“Our thoughts are with the Israeli community in Victoria, after the recent terrorist attacks by Hamas,” she said.

“Hundreds of innocent civilians have been injured or killed and many Victorians will be worried for friends and family.

“We condemn these horrific acts, as a state and a nation, and we acknowledge Israel’s right to defend itself.”

Soldiers outside an Israeli police station that was damaged during battles to dislodge Hamas militants. Picture: AFP

Earlier on Tuesday, Ms Allan was asked directly whether she considered the brutal attacks to be terrorism, but said it was not up to her to say, sparking a backlash from Jewish leaders.

“I will leave matters of how these incident are described to the appropriate officials,” she said. “That is very much the matter of foreign affairs, very much a matter for federal governments and how the global leadership is working through these issues.”

Ms Allan said it was the state government’s responsibility to support the community.

Anti-Defamation Commission chairman Dvir Abramovich, whose family in Kibbutz Reim hid in a safe room while Hamas terrorists stalked and killed their neighbours, said Ms Allan’s initial comments “broke my heart”, but he was happy with her statement yesterday.

“I am pleased that Premier Allan heeded my call to name the heinous carnage and barbarism of Hamas as terrorism, and to send the unmistakeable message that the Victorian government stands with other western democracies in decrying the worst massacreof Jews since the Holocaust,” he said.

Jacinta Allan stopped short of calling the attacks acts of terrorism. Picture: Andrew Henshaw

“My own family was in hiding when this deadly violence was unleashed on Israel.

“These barbaric agents of hate entered Israel with one purpose, to slaughter as many Jews as they could, killing children in front of their parents, shooting elderly people at bus stops and torching the houses of Holocaust survivors, raping women, kidnapping babies, teenagers and families, and then celebrating, dancing and mutilating corpses.”

Jewish Community Council of Victoria chief executive Judy Fetter said the community was extremely “distressed” and “concerned”.

“Our students share this horror,” she said.

Dvir Abramovich said the Victorian Jewish community needs the support of its government. Picture: Luis Enrique Ascui

“Parents and school communities are working together to ensure young people are protected from the worst footage and news stories.”

Zionist Federation of Australia president Jeremy Leibler reaffirmed Hamas was designated terrorist organisation.

“The barbaric attacks by Hamas we are witnessing is terrorism is in the same way that September 11 was terrorism and IslamicState’s actions in Syria and Iraq were terrorism,” he said.

Zionism Victoria president Yossi Goldfarb said: “The tragic loss of life, the kidnapping of innocent civilians and the sheer brutality of the onslaught have shocked the world.”