Israel is not our friend

Jan 13, 2025
Flags of Israel and Palestine, conflict concept.

Tuesday night’s Australian ABC news had me outraged with the story about Dreyfus going to Israel to – what? Mend bridges?

The faint-hearted Prime Minister Albanese, who very obviously lacks confidence in dealing with apartheid Israel and the criminal Netanyahu, is apparently behind this. Seemingly terrified by the world-class criminal Netanyahu’s attack on Australia for not backing him fully for any action he takes regardless of how criminal those actions are, and no doubt pandering to the US’s determined support of Netanyahu/IDF/Israel irrespective of their war crimes and crimes against humanity, he now seeks to mollify Bibi with a visit from our attorney-general.

Well – hear this. I am an all-white Aussie who was brought up in Sydney 50+ years ago to believe in Israel and to know about the Holocaust in Germany, which horrified me. I have never been antisemitic and still am not (I like Arabs and have a Saudi friend). The new definition of antisemitism is not correct and the criminal Netanyahu would be well aware of that – he uses cries of antisemitism today to fill the hearts and minds of his enemies and the so-called “friends of Israel” with fears of being labelled anti-Jewish. And he was born in Poland, not Israel. I will not be branded antisemitic by you or any Zionists just because I don’t believe in genocide of a people, in this case, the Palestinians.

I am not a friend of the Israelis (not the Zionists, anyway) and am deeply ashamed by Australia’s continuing stance on support of apartheid Israel and Netanyahu in their continued genocidal war against the Palestinians. I will never support their actions, nor be their friend.

Are you aware that I am not alone? There are plenty of Aussies who wish to see the war stopped, to see Netanyahu put on trial for his crimes, to see the Palestinians have a life and a state again.

Your continuous non-action by ignoring what is happening in Palestine, refusing to recognise the UN and its role as world peace-keeper, refusing to support the ICJ and the ICC in their actions against Israel and the criminal Netanyahu shows that you are a grovelling lot of spineless pollies with not a humanitarian bone in any of your bodies. Australia is already implicated in criminal proceedings in the ICJ with allegations against Albanese, Wong, Dutton and other government members for bearing individual criminal responsibility for aiding, abetting or otherwise assisting in the commission (or attempted commission) of alleged crimes by Israel in Gaza.

It is sad for Australia that it has been, and is now, led by people who are afraid to stand up to the increasingly powerful “right” movements and to the US, as well as the criminal Netanyahu. Instead of showing some spine and insisting on our right to sovereignty, you all fawn over your so-called friends in Washington, doing their bidding at the expense of the Australian people and our country. As well as pandering to the US’s insistence to support the criminal Netanyahu and the out-of-control IDF, you also support the appalling AUKUS deal; and this latter has never even been explained properly by you to the Australian people who have never been asked their opinion about this extortionately expensive, unnecessary and unwanted military “defence” system. It is also noted that you have not addressed the Dutton opposition’s proposal to build nuclear reactors in Australia – not addressed it, nor asked the people what they think of it.

Most of my life I’ve been pro-Labor, but not anymore. Dutton’s a far-right clown, too, who would agree with your actions (is there any difference any more between Labor and Liberal in Australia?). So in future elections I will not vote for any of you. I might (emphasis on “might”) vote Teal or Indigenous, but not Labor or Liberal. Or I’ll start voting informal.

Sincerely

Barbara der Kinderen

See:

1. From AFOPA, Sunday 12 January 2pm Parliament House Steps North Terrace Adelaide

As Israel savagely pounded Gaza daily over the Christmas and New Year period, killing untold numbers of Palestinians, obliterating the medical and hospital system, murdering journalists, medical staff, and anyone else under the American supplied bombs and in the sights of the Israeli quadcopters and snipers, the Australian Government remained silent.

Silence from our government, as the Israeli military kidnapped Dr Hussam Abu Safiya, Director of the destroyed Kamal Adwan Hospital in Beit Lahiya in Northern Gaza on Friday 29 December and took him to the notorious Sde Teiman detention camp in Israel.

Silence, as babies died of cold in the bitter wet winter, as aid tents were flooded with pouring rain, where families could not keep their children warm or dry.

Silence, as Israel continued to strangle the movement of aid into Gaza, especially into the north, where people are starving.

Silence, as footage floods our social media of desperate packs of starving dogs eating the flesh of dead and wounded Palestinians lying in Gaza streets and ruins of bombed out buildings.

And continued silence from our government about its obligations to uphold international law in the face of calls from United Nations’ agencies and thousands of letters, emails and messages from ordinary Australians demanding that we act according to International Law.

WE DEMAND THAT OUR GOVERNMENT ENDS ITS SILENCE, ACTS IN ACCORDANCE WITH INTERNATIONAL LAW, AND ENACTS CONCRETE MEASURES AGAINST ISRAEL TO HALT THIS GENOCIDE, END THE OCCUPATION AND TO END APARTHEID IN PALESTINE!

2. See the Media Release of the Australian Centre for International Justice (), 20 July 2024, detailing exactly what our government should be doing to pressure Israel to stop the genocide and adhere to international law.

AND ALSO SEE THIS:

3. 20 July 2024

The Australian Centre for International Justice (ACIJ) welcomes the landmark ruling from the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on 19 July 2024, which categorised Israel’s 57-year occupation of the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT) as unlawful. In its historic Advisory Opinion, the ICJ also held that Israel’s policies and practices in the OPT have amounted to annexation of significant portions of the OPT. The ICJ found that the consequences of Israel’s illegal occupation and annexation of the OPT has resulted in the severe deprivation of the rights of the Palestinian people to self-determination and to be free from the prohibitions of racial discrimination, segregation and apartheid.

The ICJ determined Israel’s settlement enterprise to be unlawful according to international law and ordered it be dismantled. It called on Israel to end its illegal occupation as rapidly as possible and further ruled that Israel was obligated to provide full reparations for all harm caused since the occupation of the Gaza Strip, the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, first began in June 1967.

In a warning to all States, including Australia, the ICJ found that all States and international organisations have a positive obligation not to render aid or assistance which would maintain Israel’s illegal presence in the OPT. The Court stated that all States must “abstain from entering into economic or trade dealings with Israel concerning the Occupied Palestinian Territory or parts thereof which may entrench its unlawful presence in the territory.”

Executive Director of the Australian Centre for International Justice, Rawan Arraf, said: “The ICJ ruling is monumental and creates an urgency and a positive obligation for Australia to act to ensure it ends its complicity in these serious violations of international law which also amount to international crimes.”

ACIJ calls on the Australian Government to implement the following non-exhaustive list of measures to ensure Australia complies with the ICJ’s ruling and does not aid or assist Israel’s unlawful occupation:

The Australian Government impose targeted sanctions, including asset freezes against Israeli individuals and entities involved in Israel’s illegal occupation, settlement enterprise, annexation, persecution, racial segregation and apartheid policies against the Palestinian people.

The Australian Government impose a comprehensive arms embargo on Israel. This arms embargo must include the suspension of all arms agreements and deals, and cover both the export, import and transfer of arms, including parts and components and other dual-use items. This military cooperation only serves to bolster the illegal Israeli occupation regime and its military forces.

The Australian Government suspend all defence cooperation with Israel and end its facilitation of defence industry partnership.

The Australian Government undertake an extensive review and urgent inquiry, with the purpose of identifying Australia’s economic relationships, investments, trade agreements, cooperation schemes and programs with Israel, and cancel them immediately.

The Australian Government direct all State Governments to end all agreements relating to cooperation with defence, agriculture and water and other such industry agreements with Israel.

The Australian Government immediately end any intention of entering into any free trade agreement with Israel.

The Australian Government enact legislation banning settlement goods and services from entering Australia’s marketplace.

The Australian Government enact legislation preventing Australian businesses from operating, trading, or investing in settlements or contributing to their maintenance and/or expansion.

The Australian Government direct the halt of unlawful flow of investment from Australian charities that benefit the illegal settlement enterprise and Israel’s military.

The Australian Government provide clear advice and direction to Australia’s Future Fund, Australian businesses, universities, pension funds, registered charities, and financial institutions to ensure they are not engaging in commercial or non-commercial activities with Israel.

The Australian Government investigate and prosecute dual citizens serving in Israel’s military and provide clear directives to citizens to refuse to enlist in the Israeli military.

The Australian Government support the investigation and prosecution of international crimes committed as part of the Situation in Palestine at the International Criminal Court (ICC) and commit to fully cooperate with the Office of the Prosecutor of the ICC, in line with Australia’s international and domestic legal obligations.

The Australian Government refer the situation in Palestine to the ICC.

Rawan Arraf further stated: “These recommendations are not wish-lists. They are the necessary and bare minimum actions Australia is obliged to take under international law. These actions should have been taken long ago, but Australia, like other Western states, empowered Israel’s illegal military occupation for decades and contributed to it through countless deals and agreements and political cover, entrenching impunity and denying Palestinians their right to self-determination and to be free from the prohibitions of apartheid, persecution, racial discrimination and racial segregation.”

“We welcome the Foreign Minister’s response to the ruling. It is important that Australia respects the decision of the ICJ. However the statement barely scratched the surface and it fails on numerous fronts to adhere to the warning from the Court on Australia’s positive legal obligations.”

“While Gaza is burning and Palestinians there are facing forced starvation and annihilation of their health, education and every sector of their society, the Albanese Government thinks its hands are tied and that it can’t do much on this issue. This is false and misleading. Its hands are indeed tied, but in direct complicity with Israel’s illegal occupation in a myriad of ways as we’ve outlined above. The Albanese Government has the opportunity to correct course and repair its contribution to harming the Palestinian peoples’ fundamental human rights.”

“Nothing short of a comprehensive arms embargo will ensure Australia’s compliance with international law and the ICJ’s ruling, and in reducing the risk of Australian officials being complicit in international crimes. The extensive military cooperation between Australia and Israel must end immediately.”

“The extent and breadth of Australia’s links necessitates an inquiry to ensure Australia is not complicit in these severe breaches of international law and to ensure compliance with the ICJ’s ruling. This is a test for Australia and whether it truly respects the United Nations Charter, its commitment to international law, the rule of law and the ICJ as the principal judicial organ of the United Nations. Australians will judge the Australian Government on their actions, not their rhetoric.”

Note: Some of the above recommendations were developed in coordination with the Palestinian Human Rights Organizations Council in a joint submission with ACIJ in 2021 to a DFAT feasibility study into ‘strengthening trade and investment in Israel’.

Share and Enjoy !