Max Chandler-Mather (Griffith, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

Some 146 countries have already recognised the state of Palestine but this Labor government refuses. How is it fair that this government recognises Israel but refuses to immediately recognise Palestine? These are weasel words from this government—crocodile tears—while right now we know there have been 37,000 Palestinians murdered by Israel—37,000! What does this government do? It has not taken a single action against Israel to pressure it to stop the genocide in Gaza.

Under the Genocide Convention—to which Australia is a signatory—this Labor government have a responsibility to take actions to punish genocide. They could end the two-way arms trade with Israel this government are carrying out but they refuse. They could cancel the Elbit Systems contract—that is, the Israeli weapons company blacklisted by countries in Europe for carrying out war crimes. Under this government, a $917 million contract was signed with Elbit Systems. This government could cancel that contract but it refuses.

The Australian government could follow the Netherlands and ban the export of F-35 parts because they could go into Israeli jets that carry out war crimes. The F-35 parts that go into Israeli jets are currently screeching over the heads of Palestinian men, women and children. It could sanction Israel. Why is it this government could sanction Russia for the war crimes carried out by Russia but refuses to sanction Israel? They could expel the Israeli ambassador. Let's be very clear about this. If the government were true to their word and cared about the Palestinian people they would take actions against Israel to stop the genocide and the invasion. That is what they would do.

Let's be very, very clear about this. Every time Israel carry out a massacre, every time Israel kills Palestinian men, women and children and look around the world it does not receive a single sanction to stop. They are emboldened and they keep acting.

As part of a peace process, this motion is a joke. What peace process? Israel is carrying out a genocide in Gaza. It is not a peace process. Why is it 146 countries could find it in their hearts to recognise Palestine right now? Why is it the Australian government refuses? And how is it that when a Labor senator, Senator Payman, who had the principles and the courage to cross the floor to vote with the Greens to immediately recognise Palestine, faces more sanctions than Labor has dished out against Israel? That is remarkable.

I think what today is about is that Senator Payman has demonstrated the political cowardice in this place from Labor members. How is it that Senator Payman had the courage to cross the floor and vote to immediately recognise Palestine but no member of Labor in this place has the guts to do that? That is what people will remember in 10 or 20 years time when asked the question: what did members in this please do when Israel was carrying out a massacre in Gaza?

Let's be clear about this. The UN has found that Israel is carrying out war crimes. The UN has put Israel on a blacklist of countries that kill children, in this case Palestinian children.

The government all of a sudden apparently care. They are not doing anything about politics and say this is above politics. If it was above politics they would take material action right now to put pressure on Israel to stop.

Let's talk about some facts. These are things that Israel has done to Palestine and Gaza. Ask yourselves, as Labor members in this place, why is it that our government has taken no actions to pressure Israel to stop?

There are a million Palestinians at risk of death by starvation by the end of July. There is a critical lack of milk and baby formula and nutritional supplements for children and for pregnant and breastfeeding women. And what did this government do? For 48 days they paused funding to UNRWA, which was providing aid to Palestine. It is remarkable that this government have taken more actions against a Labor senator who voted to immediately recognise Palestine. They have taken more actions against Palestinians by temporarily pausing Palestinian visas and by pausing aid funding to Palestine when Israel has been known to carry out an engineered famine in Gaza, killing tens of thousands of Palestinians with bombs and famine. There are currently Palestinian children right now dying in their parents' arms, losing the energy to breathe because they have run out of food to eat. And what do you all do? What do this Labor government do? They can recognise Israel but they can't immediately recognise Palestine. You can't end the two-way arms trade. You can't cancel the Elbit Systems contract. You can't sanction Israel. You should all be deeply ashamed.

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