Young Aussie says what many are thinking about Hezbollah flag-waving protesters

A young Australian has called out protesters waving Hezbollah flags at pro-Palestinian rallies around the world, accusing them of glorifying a terrorist organization.

Thousands marched this weekend to protest the mass killing of civilians in Gaza and the bombing of Lebanon. Some carried the Hezbollah flag and photos of slain leader Hassan Nasrallah.

Nasrallah was killed by an Israeli airstrike on Friday, amid escalating tensions in the region.

Conservative commentator Carla Efstratiou denounced the protesters in a video posted on social media.

“Does anyone find it a little strange that people in the West are now outwardly and very proudly supporting terrorist organizations?” Ms. Efstratiou said.

“Instead of celebrating his death because he is a terrorist, people in Sydney marched in his honor to defend him.”

She highlighted a protester’s sign that read: “Hezbollah’s Lebanese resistance is a beacon of hope for the entire world.

‘This is a terrorist organization. They are doing the same with Hamas,” she said.

‘We see this all over the world. People, mostly university students, are glorifying this terrorist organization that is doing drastic things,” she added.

“Imagine if, after the Twin Towers were blown up by the two planes, people defended Osama Bin Laden and Al Queda.

“That would be unheard of, but now we have people saying how great this Hezbollah leader is. What’s going on, and why isn’t anyone questioning it?’

The Islamic Council of Victoria blamed a small number of people for the Hezbollah flags and said the community’s focus was on the escalation of violence in Gaza and Lebanon.

“It has been made clear that Hezbollah flags are not welcome and should not be carried,” the group’s chairman Adel Salman said.

However, the fixation on flags served as a “convenient distraction” from the violence in the Middle East, said Nasser Mashni, president of the Australia Palestine Advocacy Network.

“It is a national shame that condemning a flag has become easier than confronting the brutal reality of a rogue state intent on exterminating an entire population.”

Protesters were seen holding up framed photos of recently killed Hezbollah boss Hassan Nasrallah, while others waved the group’s flag.

Alex Ryvchin, co-leader of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, said it was “sickening to see fellow Australians in our streets mourning the death of this terrorist leader.”

The protests went beyond concerns about the loss of life and the future of Lebanon and evolved into “active, open, specific support for Hezbollah” that police had to take action against, Ryvchin said on Monday.

Political leaders have also expressed concern that protests are fanning the flames of social conflict.

“We don’t want people bringing radical ideologies and conflicts here, our multiculturalism and social cohesion cannot be taken for granted,” Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Monday ahead of a cabinet meeting in Canberra.