The state of Israel is not acting in self-defence. The war on Gaza and the invasion of Gaza by the state of Israel need to end. One thing I cannot comprehend is how this morning the overwhelming majority of this Senate, including ALP and opposition senators, could vote for a motion that says, ‘We stand for Israel,’ while what is going on in Gaza right now is happening. It is unconscionable that the Senate would vote to stand with Israel while innocent Palestinians are being slaughtered by the state of Israel.
Senator McKIM (Tasmania—Australian Greens Whip) (15:29): I move:
That the Senate take note of the answers given by the Minister for Foreign Affairs (Senator Wong) to questions without notice asked by Senator Waters relating to Israel and Gaza.
The recent attacks by Hamas on Israeli citizens were utterly horrific, and the Australian Greens condemn them fully and full-throatedly, and we have repeatedly condemned them fully and full-throatedly, as has the Australian government, quite rightly. But, unlike the Australian government, the Australian Greens have also condemned the war crimes perpetrated by the state of Israel in Gaza, including the ongoing carpet bombing of Palestinian citizens.
The state of Israel is not acting in self-defence. The war on Gaza and the invasion of Gaza by the state of Israel need to end. One thing I cannot comprehend is how this morning the overwhelming majority of this Senate, including ALP and opposition senators, could vote for a motion that says, ‘We stand for Israel,’ while what is going on in Gaza right now is happening. It is unconscionable that the Senate would vote to stand with Israel while innocent Palestinians are being slaughtered by the state of Israel.
Senator Wong said today that words matter, and words do matter, but it’s both the words that are said and the words that are not said that matter. The Australian government must condemn what Israel is doing in Gaza, just as it rightly condemned what Hamas did to Israeli citizens earlier.
Question agreed to.