Adam Bandt (Melbourne, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

I want to acknowledge that last month people around the world celebrated Yom Ha'atzmaut, the creation of the state of Israel; however, this week Palestinians and their friends commemorate the Nakba, when, in 1948, hundreds of thousands of Palestinians were displaced and lost their homes, and many were killed. Since 1948, we've continued to see pervasive human rights abuses committed against Palestinian people. These abuses affect every aspect of their lives. Now we're seeing Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu actively undermining a two-state solution that could deliver peace and security to the Israeli and Palestinian peoples. Netanyahu intends to unilaterally implement parts of Trump's so-called peace plan, even though it's been rejected by Palestine and has almost no support globally. Netanyahu's plan includes the annexation of large swathes of the West Bank.

Yet, in the face of these proposed serious violations of international law, from an Israeli PM who is still indicted on serious corruption charges, the Australian government not only remains quiet but actively tries to block investigations of war crimes in Palestine through the International Criminal Court. It's time for Australia to speak up, especially as Mike Pompeo flies in to Israel. It's time to vocally oppose any illegal annexation and make it clear that there will be serious diplomatic consequences should it occur, just as there have been for other illegal annexations of territory.

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