Israel outlaws Islamist group accused of inciting violence

Israeli Defense minister Moshe Yaalon signed the decree issued under state of emergency regulations, British Mandate-era legislation which Israel inherited in 1948 and has kept in place with annual renewal since.

Per the announcement, any organization or individual belonging to the northern branch or found assisting the organization in any way will be committing a criminal offense and is liable for imprisonment.

But, Israeli officials are not stopping at discounting the Northern Islamic Movement’s concerns over the Temple Mount or even accusing it of inciting violence; they are also characterising the Northern Islamic Movement and its affiliates as “terrorist organizations” advocating “radical Islam”.

The Israeli cabinet Monday night chose to outlaw the Islamic Movement’s northern branch in Israel, a step that was vehemently condemned by Amnesty International, a human rights movement. It established the network of activists called the Mourabitoun and Mourabitat to initiate provocations on the Temple Mount, adding to the tension at the site, the statement said.

The statement also alleged the Islamic group is both a “sister movement” of Hamas and a “branch of the Muslim Brotherhood”, two organizations listed as terror movements by Israel.

Netanyahu contends that the Islamic Movement’s northern section, which unlike its southern branch refuses to recognise Israel’s legitimacy, has encouraged assaults on Israelis.

In all, 14 Israelis have been killed since early October and Israeli security forces have killed more than 80 Palestinians, half accused by Israel of attacking Jews. “A significant portion of recent terrorist attacks have been committed against the background of this incitement and propaganda”.

Israel has beefed up security across the country in recent weeks in light of the attacks, sending soldiers to patrol cities alongside thousands of police. “We should remember – we are not to blame for the terrorism directed against us, just as the French are not to blame for the terrorism directed against them”, he said.

Some 500,000 Israelis have settled in the West Bank and East Jerusalem among 2.4 million Palestinians.

“We are in regular communication with the government of Israel regarding its obligation to provide protection and security for United States citizens”, U.S. official commented, this time more cautiously, “This case has now been reviewed through the Israeli judicial system and the Israeli court has issued a ruling”.

The northern branch of the Islamic Movement has always been on Israel’s radar.

Israel has outlawed an Islamist party accused of inciting violence among the country’s Arab citizens, the government announced Tuesday, as part of measures to stamp out a two month-long deadly escalation.

In a press statement, Head of the Arab Higher Follow-up Muhammad Baraka decried the cabinet’s decision.

Violence since October 1 has killed 84 people on the Palestinian side, including one Arab Israeli, as well as 12 Israelis.

Salah, who has been in and out of Israeli prisons, is suppose to start a 11-month jail term later this month pending an appeal for other incitement charges related to a 2007 sermon. “The Islamic Movement seeks to harm the coexistence and inclusion of Israeli Arabs, and it’s the our duty – both of the Israeli leadership and of Israeli Arabs – to battle this phenomenon as well”, he said.

He also allegedly said Muslims’ “finest moment” would be to become “martyrs” protecting the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem.

It has been behind a campaign alleging that the Al-Aqsa mosque compound in annexed east Jerusalem is “in danger”, stoking fears that Israel plans to change rules governing the site, which Netanyahu has repeatedly denied. “This is exactly what the Islamic Movement [is] doing”.