Lyn Allison (Victoria, Australian Democrats) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

That the Senate—

(a)

calls on the Government to act on calls by Amnesty International, with respect to the 34 day war between Israel and the Lebanese-based Hezbollah militia, for:

(i)

the United Nations (UN) Security Council to immediately establish a comprehensive, independent and impartial inquiry into violations of international humanitarian law by both sides in the conflict, including violations which may amount to war crimes,

(ii)

justice proceedings in line with international standards of fair trial for any person against whom there is evidence of war crimes, and

(iii)

Israel to disclose maps of the areas of Lebanon into which it fired cluster bombs to enable the clearance of what the UN Mine Action Coordination Centre estimates to be 100 000 unexploded bomblets thereby preventing further civilian casualties;

(b)

notes that no map has yet been provided for the land mines planted by Israel in southern Lebanon in 1988 resulting in recent death and injury to Israeli military personnel;

(c)

urges the Government to also request that maps for the above-mentioned land mines are disclosed;

(d)

requests the Government to provide Lebanon with a small team of Australian munitions experts to assist in the removal of unexploded munitions;

(e)

notes that the current ceasefire agreement between Israel and the Lebanese-based Hezbollah includes no reference to the necessity to uphold requirements under international humanitarian law, namely the need to establish accountability for violations by both sides in the conflict;

(f)

urges the Government to remind the parties to the ceasefire agreement of the need to uphold international humanitarian law; and

(g)

calls on the Government to appeal to Israel to remove its blockade on Lebanon.

Question put.