Mehreen Faruqi (NSW, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

I move:

That the Senate take note of the answer given by the Minister for Foreign Affairs (Senator Wong) to a question without notice I asked today relating to UNRWA.

I rise to take note of Minister Wong's answer or, should I say, nonanswer to my questions on suspending funding for UNRWA. My questions were met with not only complete deflection but personal accusations by the minister. I will not be gaslighted.

On 26 January the International Court of Justice said about Israel's war on the Palestinian people:

In the Court's view, at least some of the acts and omissions alleged by South Africa to have been committed by Israel in Gaza appear to be capable of falling within the provisions of the Convention—

the genocide convention. I'll say that in plain language. Minister Wong, your ally Israel, who your government unconditionally supports, is likely committing genocide on the Palestinian people—not just war crimes, not just unconscionable conduct, but the crime of all crimes: genocide. We never needed a court to tell us that Israel is on a genocidal mission. The evidence is being live streamed.

There has been not a word on the ICJ ruling from the cowardly Labor government, but they did decide within hours to suspend funding for UNRWA. How appalling—suspending funding to the largest humanitarian agency for Palestinians while they are being killed, starved and displaced by the occupation. But there has been not so much as a slap on the wrist for Israel. Everyone knows it's been Israel's dream to disband UNRWA. Shamefully, when Israel says, 'Jump,' the Australian government says, 'How high?'

Almost 30,000 Palestinians have been killed, and who knows how many remain buried under the rubble. Nurses, doctors, academics, journalists, UN workers, humanitarian aid workers—all targeted. Almost 11,000 children have been killed. The level of cruelty and inhumanity is overwhelming, and it is clear that Israel's intention is to permanently expel Palestinians from Gaza.

We live in an upside-down world, a world where a Labor government would rather side with a genocidal state than with its targets; a world where those who speak out against the killing of civilians are doxxed and their jobs and careers destroyed. But we are resolute. We will remain on the right side of history, no matter what the cost, because, as Nelson Mandela said, 'Our freedom is incomplete without the freedom of Palestinians.'

Question agreed to.