Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Hansard source

Australians are distressed by what they have seen, what they are watching and what they have lost, and we know that this conflict has touched many Australians and is felt most acutely in our Jewish communities and our Palestinian communities. I would make this point: there is a long, complex and disputed history to this region. It is deeply felt. It is close to the hearts of many. It is why I have continued to urge all to express their views respectfully, as have the Prime Minister and other ministers in the government. We should be clear: there is no place for antisemitism in this country, there is no place for Islamophobia, there's no place for prejudice and there's no place for hatred of any kind. We must maintain mutual respect here at home, and politicians have a role in that: to speak and behave in a respectful way regardless of difference. (Time expired)