George Campbell (NSW, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

by leave—Labor cannot support the proposed notice of motion in its current form. Labor would like to place on the record its objection to dealing with complex international relations matters, such as the one we have before us, by means of formal motions. Such motions are blunt instruments. They force parties into a black-and-white choice: support or oppose. They do not lend themselves to the nuances which are so necessary in this area of policy. Furthermore, they are too easily misinterpreted by some audiences as statements of policy by the national government. Labor is happy to work with the minor parties on notices of motion of this nature, but we will not be pressured into supporting notices of motion in the Senate unless we are completely satisfied with their content.

Labor is deeply concerned about the situation in Lebanon and appalled by the humanitarian impact of the conflict. For that reason, Labor is not prepared to reduce this most serious matter of war and peace and life and death to the level of petty political point-scoring, as those who have proposed this motion clearly intend. The problems in the Middle East are not something that can be reduced to a simple one-line motion. The opposition supports an immediate ceasefire which involves the cessation of Hezbollah and Hamas rocket attacks against Israel, the return of captured Israeli soldiers and Israel ceasing hostility. This should be followed immediately by viable and verifiable measures to disband and disarm Hezbollah, consistent with Security Council resolutions 1559 and 1680.

The government’s position on a ceasefire in Lebanon is simply not good enough. Foreign Minister Downer has said that a ceasefire would not achieve anything. It is hard to fathom what the minister was thinking; how can he seriously contend that a halt to the killing of innocent civilians would not achieve anything? Labor strongly calls on the government to reconsider their position on a ceasefire. Labor has clearly placed on the record its belief that every state, including Israel, has a right to self-defence. At the same time, Labor does not believe that it is acceptable for any state, including Israel, to engage in military attacks against non-military targets, be they civilian or economic. Labor supports a proposal for the introduction of a UN peacekeeping force or a multinational force to stabilise southern Lebanon and to give effect to UN Security Council resolution 1559.

Labor also remains gravely concerned about the safety of several hundred Australian citizens in south Lebanon, particularly those in the village of Aitaroun. Labor has called for the establishment of humanitarian corridors to enable Australians trapped in south Lebanon, and other innocent civilians trapped by the fighting, to have safe passage out of the conflict area. Labor has repeatedly called for immediate humanitarian assistance to Lebanon, in excess of the government’s allocation of $5 million, to help provide food, water and medical assistance to the hundreds of thousands of Lebanese citizens who are in need.

Clearly, there is now a need for urgent international diplomatic intervention. Labor strongly supports the negotiation of a just, enduring and comprehensive peace settlement in the Middle East. To this end, Labor supports the right to self-determination for the Palestinian people, including their right to their own independent state. Labor also recognises the right of Israel to exist in peace and security within secure and acknowledged borders.