Council of States debates bans on Hamas and Hezbollah
Published: Tuesday, Dec 10th 2024, 05:40
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On Tuesday, the Council of States will discuss Switzerland's dealings with Hamas and Hezbollah. On the one hand, it will discuss the federal law to ban the radical Islamic Palestinian terrorist organization. On the other hand, it has to decide on a motion that would also ban the Lebanese Shiite militia.
With the proposal to ban Hamas, the Federal Council is implementing a mandate from Parliament. Following the massacres in southern Israel on 7 October 2023, the national government and both councils had spoken out in favour of a ban on the radical Islamic Palestinian terrorist organization and related groups.
The draft provides for Hamas to be banned for an initial period of five years. Parliament would have the option of extending the ban in the ordinary legislative procedure. This proposal is unlikely to be controversial in the Council.
The motion by the Security Policy Committee of the Council of States (SIK-S) for a ban on Hezbollah is likely to generate more discussion. The Council of States committee argues that the militia is currently on a par with Hamas. Because the ban on Hamas and related organizations could otherwise be delayed, it would like to see the ban on Hezbollah implemented in a further, separate special law.
The Federal Council opposes a ban on Hezbollah. It believes that the legal requirements for this have not been met. This is partly because the Shia militia has not yet been banned or sanctioned by the UN.
In addition to legal objections, the state government also raised political objections. Parliament had so far "deliberately not wanted a continued, broad ban practice". The Federal Council has no comprehensive authority to ban organizations.
Under current law, only the Al-Qaeda terrorist network and the IS terrorist organization are currently banned in Switzerland.
Both the Hamas ban and a possible ban on Hezbollah will also be discussed in the National Council this week. On Wednesday, the upper chamber will discuss the federal law on Hamas and a motion by its own Security Policy Committee to ban the Lebanese Shia militia.
©Keystone/SDA
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