The Australia Palestine Advocacy Network (APAN) welcomes the long-overdue announcement of a ceasefire in Gaza as a glimmer of hope, but this announcement is far from sufficient, as it fails to address the systemic issues of Israel’s genocide, illegal occupation, and apartheid, leaving Palestinians vulnerable to ongoing Israeli violence and oppression.
The international community – including the Australian government – must ensure this ceasefire is not merely a temporary pause in Israel’s genocidal violence. Australia must commit to addressing the root causes of Israel’s genocide, illegal occupation and apartheid in Palestine.
Without an arms embargo, sanctions, and mechanisms to ensure accountability and liberation for Palestine, a ceasefire will be little more than a bandage over an open wound.
APAN pays tribute to Gazans and to all the Palestinian people for their steadfastness, endurance and unwavering resistance in the face of unimaginable violence and oppression. Their strength and determination have served as profound reminders of the power of truth, the depth of human courage and solidarity, and the urgent need for justice and liberation.
We also extend gratitude to allies and advocates who have shown remarkable perseverance in their solidarity with Palestine.
In the lead-up to the ceasefire, announced this morning to come into effect on Sunday, Israel is maintaining its attacks on Gaza, exemplifying its brutal contempt for Palestinian lives and futures.
In the past 24 hours, Israel has intensified its bombing of Gaza City, targeting schools-turned-shelters, homes and vital infrastructure. Israel also continues to bomb Lebanon, highlighting its disdain for life, justice, and international law.
The actions of the Israeli government during the past 15 months, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s relentless attempts to sabotage multiple ceasefire proposals – including a ceasefire proposal containing the same terms of this one – reveal a deliberate strategy to sustain genocide and apartheid under the guise of “security” and “self-defence.” Such strategies are unacceptable and demand a firm international response.
APAN emphasises that a ceasefire cannot mark the end of global action – it must be the beginning. We demand the Australian government implements and/or supports:
- A two-way arms embargo on Israel, immediately ceasing all trade – exports, imports and transfers, direct and indirect – to Israel to stem its ongoing violence in Palestine and across the region.
- Immediate sanctions, as an expression of economic and political pressure to compel Israel to stop its international law violations in Palestine and beyond.
- Accountability and justice, including international court investigations and prosecutions of Israeli officials, military figures, organisations and others responsible for this genocide and other international crimes.
- Liberation and self-determination for Palestine, via the dismantling of Israel’s apartheid regime, genocidal policies and its illegal occupation.
- Meaningful international support for the reconstruction and rehabilitation of Gaza, ensuring that this rebuilding ensures the end to Israeli occupation, the restoration of Palestinian sovereignty, and strengthening of Palestinian communities.
The world cannot allow Israel to use this ceasefire as a cover to regroup and continue its genocidal campaign against the Palestinian people.
Australia, and its international counterparts, must stand in solidarity with Palestinians, and take bold action for a free Palestine, from the river to the sea.
Comments attributed to APAN President Nasser Mashni:
Every bomb that falls, every Palestinian buried, every home reduced to rubble is a direct result of the world’s refusal to act decisively against Israel’s ongoing apartheid and genocide.
A ceasefire is not justice – it is a fleeting reprieve that will never undo the profound pain caused by Israel’s genocide, nor will it, alone, prevent the next wave of bloodshed. Justice means liberation.
The resilience of Palestinians is not just a story of survival but a call to the world to end its complicity.
The ceasefire must not be a smokescreen for complacency. Australia must rise to this moment by cutting all military ties with Israel, imposing sanctions and holding Israeli officials and entities accountable in international courts.
To remain silent in the face of this brutality is to stand on the wrong side of history. It’s time for Australia to stand for justice, accountability, and a free Palestine.