Pearls and Irritations

Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong’s response to Israel’s genocide in Palestine is an insult to Palestinians living under occupation, bombardment, and relentless oppression. It’s a shirking of Australia’s international obligations, and an affront to people of good conscience across this continent who, for 57 weeks, have rallied, protested, and pleaded for Australia to take a stand against these crimes.

Instead of real action, we are met with excuses, hollow words and empty gestures that fail to challenge Israel’s genocidal, apartheid regime. This inaction is a betrayal, not just of the Palestinian people, but of every Australian who demands justice, accountability, and an end to Australia’s passivity.

Wong’s framing of this genocide as a “conflict,” a “war” is a gross misrepresentation of reality. This is not a conflict between two equal sides, nor is it a matter of “divergent perspectives.” It is a systematic campaign of genocide and ethnic cleansing aimed at erasing Palestinians from their homeland, and Australia’s handwringing over neutrality and ceasefire is nothing short of complicity.

Minister Wong’s rhetoric erases the historical context and political realities that have shaped Israel’s ongoing campaign of ethnic cleansing, occupation and state-sanctioned terrorism across Palestine. Australia’s aid and expressions of concern mean nothing as long as we refuse to meet our legal obligations to take meaningful action to help end Israel’s illegal occupation, displacement, and murder of Palestinians. Every day that Australia remains silent or hides behind supposed “neutrality” is another day we bolster Israel’s impunity, allowing it to act with complete disregard for international law, morality, and basic human rights.

The Foreign Minister’s claim that Australia lacks leverage to act independently is a dangerous distortion of its legal obligations. As the International Court of Justice stated in Bosnia v Serbia, the duty to prevent genocide is one of conduct, not result—meaning Australia must take all reasonable measures available to prevent atrocities, regardless of whether the desired outcome is achieved. By failing to act, Australia is not just shirking its responsibilities, but actively enabling Israel’s ongoing genocide.

If Australia can lead an “influential group of countries” to protect humanitarian workers, then why not lead such a group to protect the people of Palestine by implementing the sanctions UN entities and representatives, international legal experts and human rights organisations across the globe have repeatedly called for?

We do not need rhetorical acrobatics; we need a complete reassessment of our nation’s role. Australia should immediately lead efforts to sanction Israel, cut all arms transfers, support international legal action against Israeli officials, and call for Israel’s removal from the United Nations. Anything less is an abdication of responsibility and a betrayal of our values.

The time for equivocation passed long ago. To continue to equivocate now is to knowingly endorse Israel’s brutal project of erasure, to stand by as an entire people are pushed to the brink of extinction. This is not the moment for hedged words or excuses. Every empty gesture and half-measure from Australia emboldens Israel to continue its genocide unchecked.

The choice is clear: either confront Israel’s atrocities and its violations of international law with the full weight of our nation’s power and moral conviction or admit that Australia is complicit in these crimes against humanity.

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