Delay on Hamas terror call ‘perplexing’

One of the country’s most prominent Holocaust survivors has called the government’s delay to designate Hamas’ October 7 atrocities an overseas terrorist act ‘incomprehensible’.

Holocaust survivor Nina Bassat. Picture: David Geraghty

One of the country’s most prominent Holocaust survivors has called the government’s delay to designate Hamas’ October 7 atrocities an overseas terrorist act “incomprehensible”, saying it sent a message that what happened to Jews “did not matter”.

The Australian revealed on Thursday how the Albanese government has failed to formally designate as an overseas terrorist act the massacre of 1200 Israelis by Hamas on October 7.

The failure to make the declaration more than 100 days after the attacks means Australian Jews who lost loved ones are not eligible for financial assistance through the Victim of Terrorism Overseas Payment under the ­Social Security Act.

Holocaust survivor Nina Bassat said she was perplexed and saddened.

“The delay in designating the October 7 massacre by Hamas as a terrorist act is incomprehensible,” the 84-year-old said. She was the first survivor to lead the country’s peak Jewish body.

“This usually happens immediately after or within days of a terrorist attack, wherever it happens. Yet more than three months later our government is not prepared to call what happened in Israel a terrorist act.

“At best, this is pandering to its support base. At worst it is sending a message to the world that what happens to Israel and what happens to Jews does not matter.”

It contrasts with formal terror designations of more than 50 overseas terrorist attacks under the legislation, including the US September 11, 2001 attacks, the 2002 Bali bombings, the 2005 London bombings, and the 2019 Christchurch mosque attack.

Senator Dave Sharma. Picture: Jonathan Ng

Senator Dave Sharma – a former Australian ambassador to ­Israel – asked what was holding up the designation.

“It’s staggering that over three months after the worst mass casualty terror attack worldwide since 9/11, the government has still not been able to designate the atrocities as a terrorist attack,” he said.

“I hope it is simple incompetence at work, but it fits with a pattern of this government being unwilling to speak clearly and resolutely on these issues.”

The government says it is still “considering” whether to designate the assaults an overseas terrorist attack under the legislation.

Under the Australian Victim of Terrorism Overseas Payment, established by Labor in 2012, Australian residents who are harmed, or whose close family member is killed, as a result of an overseas terrorist act are eligible for assistance payments of up to $75,000.

“Since the horrific Hamas terrorist attacks on October 7, the Australian government has been supporting Australians and their family members affected by the conflict at home and in the region,” a spokesman for Home Affairs Minister Clare O’Neil said.

Executive Council of Australian Jewry co-chief executive Alex Ryvchin. Picture: John Feder

“The Albanese Labor government is steadfastly committed to supporting Australian victims of terrorism overseas (and) the government is considering further ways in which to support Australians and their family members.”

Jewish leaders were equally as perplexed.

“The statement that the government is still ‘considering’ whether to designate the October 7 horrors as a terror attack is perplexing and difficult to comprehend,” Executive Council of Australian Jewry co-chief executive Alex Ryvchin said.

“Hamas is a designated terrorist organisation and cabinet ministers have consistently referred to the attacks as terrorism.

“We can only hope any hold-up in the designation is bureaucratic, because if these attacks were not terror, nothing is.”

NSW Jewish Board of Deputies president David Ossip said declaring October 7 a terrorist attack was an “absolute no-brainer”.