Lidia Thorpe (Victoria, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise to condemn the violent occupation of Palestine, the brutality of the colonial power that is Israel and their state-sanctioned murder of the Palestinian people. In 2022, Israeli forces murdered more than 170 Palestinians, including 53 children. Since the start of 2023, 160 lives have been taken, including 35 children. Three of these murders happened only four days ago. We know this grief, sorrow and anger. It binds First People and Palestinians together. We share a history and reality of attempted genocide and are both yet to experience liberation in self-determination, governance and sovereignty. We know how it feels to be on the end of a slow, pervasive violence that claims more and more lives as time goes on, with no-one blinking an eye. We know about apartheid, and we know about being occupied by a power incapable of recognising the truth.

Almost 140 nations, including the Vatican, have recognised Palestine as a state, but Australia has not. Unsurprisingly, colonial powers are brothers in blood and have a common problem with recognising sovereignty both at home and abroad. This government must recognise sovereignty abroad and at home, recognise the sovereignty of the Palestinian people over all the land taken since 1967 and call for the Israeli government to end the illegal occupation. I welcome the government changing its language to recognise that the occupation of the state of Palestine is illegal under international law. I call on the government to continue on this path to truth and formally recognise Israel as— (Time expired)

Hollie Hughes (NSW, Liberal Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Climate Change and Energy) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Thorpe, that was a perfect introduction for what I'd like to speak about today—the factional stitch-up that we've seen from the Labor Party as they've attempted to solve the two-state solution, as they draw the borders and change the language, now referring to 'occupied Palestinian territories', which is not only, in international law, legally incorrect; it ignores the fact that Palestine actually has never been its own independent state ever and has never had Palestinian territories.

What I thought I'd do today, though, is point out the UN Relief and Works Agency, which is responsible for where a lot of Palestinian children are educated. I thought I'd give some examples of the complete antisemitism and radicalisation that continues to occur today in the Palestinian education system. It is absolutely disgusting. We had a look at one of the schools, Asma Middle School for Girls, where the schoolgirls are taught to liberate their homeland by sacrificing their blood and pursuing jihad. This is an example straight from their workbooks. 'Read the following sentences and explain why the hamza'—an orthographic sign in Arabic—'is written on the words.' Option 3 is: 'I will commit jihad to liberate the homeland.' The school also had students examine a text called 'My land'. This was question 11: 'What are the obligations of the people of the homeland towards it?' Answer: 'That they would defend it and sacrifice for it their blood, their possessions and the most precious thing they have.' I guess that's their life. 'The enemy is despicable. Palestine is ours. The departure of the occupier from our land is inevitable. We shall oppose the enemy's tanks with blood and flesh.' That was a year 7 text. A poem: 'Let's explain the beauty of the metaphor in the following: "The Zionist gangs sank their fangs of hatred into her pure body."' Sounds like they really want a peace process!

Glenn Sterle (WA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Hughes, thank you. Senator Green.