Tony Iltis, Melbourne

Following several weeks of mass demonstrations against Israel’s wars on Lebanon and Palestine, there have been calls in the corporate media for the federal government to make it illegal for anti-war protesters to carry Hezbollah flags or to burn the Israeli flag.

Sheikh Isse Musse, imam of the Mary Mother of Jesus Mosque in the suburb of Hoppers Crossing, told Green Left Weekly: “If we live in a democracy, there should be freedom of speech, to express all opinions and views. Speaking one’s mind cannot be denied unless we live in a totalitarian country.”

He rejected the Australian government’s classification of Hezbollah and Hamas as terrorist organisations, pointing out that Hezbollah is part of Lebanon’s elected coalition government and Hamas won a majority in this year’s Palestinian parliamentary elections.

He added that in relation to Israel’s wars on Gaza and Lebanon, the Howard government “is taking the side of the aggressor and silencing voices that would advocate for the victims. All people should support the victims, not the aggressors. If Israel were the victim it should be supported.”

On August 2, PM John Howard announced that there was “no chance” of Hezbollah being removed from the government’s list of terrorist organisations. “Hezbollah are being attacked as terrorists for the simple reason that they are against Israel’s attacks on Lebanon”, Sheikh Isse said.

Hezbollah has “not attacked any other country; they just want to be free ... As long as the crisis is unfolding in Lebanon, while Israel is committing this carnage, people will continue to protest. It is the only voice people are left with.”

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