But today, the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, our foreign minister did not even mention the war in Gaza. There was no recognition, no reaching out and no sympathising with the families of the 20,000 people who have been killed in Israel’s war on Gaza. There was no sympathy expressed about the humanitarian catastrophe that has been unleashed in Gaza that is putting the Palestinian people at grave risk of genocide, as described by the UN special raconteurs.
Senator RICE (Victoria) (19:39): Today is the UN International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People. It’s particularly poignant to note this day today when, since 7 October, 20,000 Palestinians have been killed—70 per cent of them women, children and the elderly. It was in 1977 that the UN General Assembly called for the annual observance of 29 November as the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, in commemoration of 29 November 1947, when the assembly adopted the resolution on the partition of Palestine. In 2005 the UN General Assembly encouraged member states to continue to give the widest support and publicity for the observance of the day of solidarity. Today the Greens tried to note the day by moving a motion calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, but the government and the opposition combined to defeat even considering such a motion.
I checked what the government has done today to note the day and I could find nothing. I’m open to being corrected, but I could find nothing. I acknowledge that Senator Payman called for a ceasefire in Gaza in her two-minute statement today. From the Prime Minister there was zip. From Senator Wong, our Minister for Foreign Affairs, there was mention of Palestine today on her social media. On the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People she had a post about her and the Prime Minister meeting with families who have had loved ones killed or taken hostage by Hamas.
I condemn the atrocities committed by Hamas. I too grieve for the 1,200 Israelis killed on 7 October. But today, the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, our foreign minister did not even mention the war in Gaza. There was no recognition, no reaching out and no sympathising with the families of the 20,000 people who have been killed in Israel’s war on Gaza. There was no sympathy expressed about the humanitarian catastrophe that has been unleashed in Gaza that is putting the Palestinian people at grave risk of genocide, as described by the UN special raconteurs. There was no holding of Israel, the occupying power, accountable for its crimes, or even just giving, in the words of the UN, the widest support and publicity for the observance of the day of solidarity. On this International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People I send my love, my solidarity and my and the Greens’ commitment to doing all we can to advocate for an immediate permanent ceasefire, for a just and lasting peace, for self-determination and freedom for the Palestinian people and for an end of the occupation.
I now want to share with you the news from the frontline, what the latest is on the ground in Gaza, and why calling loudly for a ceasefire now, particularly today, is so important. These are messages from Mr Sami Khader, the executive director of Ma’an, which is a key independent secular national Palestinian organisation. Mr Khader says:
The foremost priority is to establish a lasting ceasefire. Secondly, securing a sufficient fuel supply is critical, given its paramount importance for individuals, hospitals and the functioning of sanitation plants and bakeries.
The current limit on the number of lorries permitted falls significantly short, addressing only five per cent of the essential requirements of the population.
Gaza city and the northern region teeter on the brink of famine, making it imperative to enable 700,000 to 800,000 people to access basic necessities, such as clean drinking water, food and medication.
Compounding the crisis, all hospitals have been bombarded and are non-operational, compounding the urgency of addressing these pressing needs.
We need fuel to operate sewerage pumps and water. More than 120,000 litres are required just to cover these basic needs.
The need for food as over 800,000 citizens in northern Gaza, constituting about a third of the population, are suffering from a real famine. The need for drinking water where diseases are spreading and there’s fear of the spread of epidemics. The need for winter clothing. The need to enable people to extract bodies from under the rubble, with estimates indicating that there are more than 6,600 individuals, half of them children, under the debris. The need for specialised equipment to lift the rubble. The need for electricity, medicines and medicinal supplies, all of which have been destroyed.
Sewage overflows into the streets. Blood, corpses, waste are scattered in the streets.
This is a brief picture of the disastrous reality caused by the brutal bombardment of the Gaza Strip. We need an immediate ceasefire now.