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

After the ICJ's damning orders to Israel two months ago, Australia's responsibility was clearer than ever. The government must do everything in its power to force Israel to stop its genocidal slaughter and allow humanitarian aid to reach Palestinians immediately. Yet for two long months we saw children in Gaza succumbing to dehydration, hunger and malnutrition forced upon them by Israel. The Labor government refused to take any action.

We haven't just seen a gross failure by the Labor government to hold Israel to account; we have seen something far worse—an utterly despicable continuation of their support and arming of Israel's genocide and a toxic gaslighting and undermining of those calling out Labor's failures and demanding justice for Palestine, as if suspending UNRWA funding without a shred of evidence was not ruthless enough and as if arming Israel with military equipment to massacre Palestinians indiscriminately and bomb Gaza to dust was not criminal enough. Now, 170 days into Israel's genocide, with more than 32,000 Palestinians killed and over a million Palestinians being deliberately starved, Israel has said that it will entirely block UNRWA food convoys to northern Gaza, and yet till today we had heard nothing but utter silence from this shameful government—no action, not even a response, only their continued support for Israel's genocide.

After voting against every single motion the Greens have put up on Palestine, today the Labor government has been dragged to accept the bare minimum—that Israel must comply with the UNSC and Israel must allow aid into Gaza. The Greens and the community have dragged the Labor Party kicking and screaming to finally join our call to demand that Israel lift all barriers to the provision of humanitarian aid, but don't expect applause or kudos for being forced to do what you should have done from day one. Why has it taken so long, when for months it's been clear that Israel is using starvation as a weapon of war? Rates of acute malnutrition amongst children in northern Gaza and Rafah have doubled in just one month, and the World Health Organization has warned of intergenerational malnutrition. Such is the level of food scarcity that, in northern Gaza, one bag of flour can sell for over $500.

For weeks it's been beyond doubt that Israel is intentionally obstructing humanitarian assistance. Even the low numbers of aid trucks allowed into Gaza, meeting only a fraction of the need, are delayed an average of 20 days at the border, and essential supplies like generators, purifiers and medical supplies are confiscated. This is a brazen and criminal violation of a clear order from the ICJ for Israel to ensure aid reaches Palestinians under siege in Gaza. I'm sure I speak for many when I say we do not want a government that supports Israel's slaughter and forced starvation of Palestinians. Labor, your support of Israel's genocide is not in our name, and, come election time, I hope you're ready for a reckoning on your failures on Palestine.

The Labor Party stands fully exposed to the community. You can roll your eyes. You can accuse us of causing division when we demand justice for Palestine. You can pathetically paint yourselves as victims. But no-one is fooled. The community can see right through it. You are on the wrong side of history. Let it be clear that you still haven't committed to ending weapon and military trade with Israel. You still refuse to call for an end to Israel's genocide and apartheid. You still refuse to condemn Israel. You still refuse to hold Israel accountable. You still use pathetic and passive language like 'humanitarian catastrophe' as if it's an earthquake and not a mass slaughter of Palestinians by Israel. Call a genocide what it is: a genocide. We will keep holding up a mirror to you, we will keep speaking out and we will keep protesting until Palestine is free.