The Australia Palestine Advocacy Network (APAN) welcomes the new joint statement by the governments of the UK, France and Canada as a rhetorical step forward in recognising Israel’s violations of international law, including its ongoing genocide in Gaza and illegal settlement expansion, and in pledging to take concrete action.
We note that third states are already obliged to take meaningful action to prevent this genocide and to help bring Israel’s illegal occupation to an end. Action is already long overdue.
APAN is deeply concerned, and demand answers, as to why the Australian government failed to join this statement, especially considering it has previously aligned itself with statements made by these very nations throughout the course of this genocide.
The statement by the UK, France and Canada goes further than any previous multilateral position by identifying Israel’s brutal violence in Gaza as wholly disproportionate, intolerable in its human toll, and in breach of international humanitarian law.
Crucially, it states that if Israel attempts to expand its illegal settlement activity, “we will take further concrete actions, including targeted sanctions.”
This change in tone – with the hope that it leads to concrete action – is also required in relation to Israel’s genocide in Gaza, which continues into its 20th month. Even now, the Australian government fails to show any willingness to consider such action.
We note that Australia did sign a separate joint statement with 22 other countries yesterday, expressing concerns about the so-called “major access challenges imposed by Israel” on humanitarian aid for Palestinians in Gaza.
This language is deeply inadequate, and deliberately obscures the reality that Israel has murdered humanitarian workers and emergency responders, bombed food distribution sites and warehouses and deliberately delayed and politicised the delivery of life-saving aid to Palestinians.
Unlike the UK-France-Canada statement, that joint declaration stops short of naming Israel’s actions as breaches of international law, or pledging to impose meaningful consequences.
Israel has killed more than 61,000 Palestinians in its genocide in Gaza. It is using mass starvation as a weapon of war, and a tool to complete the Nakba that it began 77 years ago.
The International Court of Justice ruled, almost 18 months ago, that Israel must allow the unfettered flow of humanitarian aid, and that third states had an obligation to act to prevent genocide.
Australia cannot be allowed to continue with vague expressions of concern.
It must urgently:
- Join its allies in unequivocally condemning Israel’s genocide in Gaza, and its manufactured starvation of the Palestinian population.
- Commit to joining a global humanitarian convoy by dispatching official diplomatic missions to accompany aid trucks into Gaza via the Rafah Crossing.
- Impose sanctions on Israeli officials and institutions responsible for Israel’s grave violations of international law in both Gaza and the West Bank.
- Impose a two-way arms embargo on Israel.
- Back international accountability mechanisms, including ICJ and International Criminal Court processes.
- Support domestic legal safeguards, such as the Red Lines Package of legislation, to prevent Australia from aiding or abetting war crimes, illegal settlements and crimes against humanity.
Comments attributed to APAN President Nasser Mashni:
“The Foreign Minister has previously stated that Australia only applies sanctions in coordination with partners, and that the UK, Canada, and France are the ‘like-minded’ countries with whom we would act.
“Why has Australia suddenly gone missing at this critical moment, when these same partners are stepping up to condemn Israel’s brazen violations of law and signal concrete consequences?
“Australia’s name should have been on that statement. Instead, we got vague and frankly, offensive, language about Israel imposing ‘access challenges.’
“The time for hedging and half-measures is over. Israel is escalating its genocide, and expanding its illegal settlements, and when Australia refuses to join allies in taking concrete action to prevent it, it is complicit.
“History will judge the Australian government not by its expressions of concern, but by its actions – or lack of them.”