Cabinet officially designates 3 terrorist groups

The cabinet on Sunday officially designated the Islamic State group, the Nusra Front and the Abdullah Azzam Brigades as terrorist organizations, effectively outlawing any affiliation with them. The decision followed a recommendation by the Shin Bet security agency.

Speaking at the beginning of the weekly cabinet meeting, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel was "constantly fighting terrorist organizations."

The designation was made under Israel's Prevention of Terror Ordinance. As such, anyone convicted of funding, contacting or having any other form of affiliation with Islamic State, the Nusra Front or the Abdullah Azzam Brigades -- a Lebanon-based offshoot of al-Qaida -- will be subject to the punitive measures outlined in the ordinance, including long prison sentences.

As all three operate abroad, the decision is also in line with Israel's efforts to fight terrorism on a global level, as well as domestically.

"Over the past few years, we have seen an increase in the activities of groups promoting Salafi ideology. These jihadi groups see Israel as the target of terrorist attacks, and their militant and radical operations have proven a draw to individuals the world over, including Palestinians and Israeli Arabs," the Shin Bet brief presented to the government on the matter said.

Hamas, Islamic Jihad, Hezbollah and al-Qaida, to name a few, are designated as terrorist groups under the Prevention of Terror Ordinance, which has been in effect since 1948. Under Israeli law, affiliation with a terrorist organization is punishable by a prison sentence of between three and 20 years.