Claims that groups such as Hamas and Hezbollah are simply terrorist organisations reflect a political narrative that obscures the context of occupation and resistance.

The war in the Middle East has given the Israeli lobby and its supporters the opportunity to put out the usual propaganda demonising Palestinians and their cause. It’s called controlling the narrative.

I have in mind the oft repeated assertion that Iran is a backer of terrorism through its support of Hamas and Hezbollah. Iran is open to criticism for many things, but this terrorism allegation is not one of them. Let us consider Hamas and Hezbollah.

Hamas is a political group made up of Palestinians living in Gaza and committed to resistance against the Israeli occupation of Palestinian lands.

Hezbollah, based primarily in southern Lebanon, derives its principal support from exiled Palestinians and native Lebanese from the impoverished Shia community. A substantial number of Palestinian refugees found shelter in Lebanon after 1948. A sense of Palestinian nationalism was clearly fostered in Lebanon, particularly during the PLO’s involvement.

There can be little doubt that Hezbollah’s actions against Israel today can be categorised as Palestinian resistance against Israeli illegal occupation of the Palestinian territories, and outrage over genocide in Gaza. Nor should it be forgotten that the occupation of Palestinian land following the 1967 Six Day War is recognised as an illegal occupation and was recognised as such throughout that period (UN Resolutions 181, 242, 338, 2334) and the 19 July 2024 International Court of Justice (ICJ) Advisory Opinion. That illegal occupation includes the Shebaa Farms area – Lebanese land. In addition to the allegation of illegal occupation, there is the fact, undeniable, and found by the ICJ in para. 229 of the Advisory Opinion, that Israel is an apartheid state. In the event, the fight to end the illegal occupation by Hezbollah is properly categorised as Palestinians resisting and coming to the aid of their brothers and sisters in Gaza and the West Bank.

And what, if any, significance can there be that missiles fired into Israel by Hamas and Hezbollah were made in Iran? Missiles fired by Israel into Gaza and Lebanon have been largely made in the US, UK, Germany, etc.

We must see the allegation of terrorist/terrorism for what it is – a simple policy of dehumanisation of Palestinian resistance – a policy which appears to have had considerable success with an unwary public. Hamas and Hezbollah must be seen for what they are – bone fide resistance groups. It must not be forgotten that the ICJ by its Advisory Opinion recognised the legitimate right of Palestinians to resist the illegal occupation, including by force of arms.

The current Iran war is a war driven by Israel and, apparently, supported by Biblical passages. The US and its lackeys, including Australia, make allegations against Iran that it is guilty of, inter alia, destabilising the Middle East. But they ignore the demands of the Security Council (Res. 2334), and the ICJ Advisory Opinion adopted by a two-thirds majority of member nations of the General Assembly of the UN that Israel end its occupation of Palestinian land, evacuate the West Bank settlers, and make reparations.

Does anyone seriously believe that if Israel did those things demanded of it by the world community that Hamas and Hezbollah would continue their resistance to Israel, or that Iran would continue to back them?

And so, against which country, Israel or Iran, should action be taken? Whatever else it may have done, Iran has always taken a principled stance on justice for the Palestinians.