Organising to meet a considerable number of federal parliamentarians in Canberra during a sitting week is never easy but that was the goal of Australians for Humanity desperate for new ways for Australia to contribute to urgent humanitarian action in Gaza.

A group from varied backgrounds planned conversations with our elected representatives from both the House of Representatives and the Senate to consider what must be done in coming weeks to end the months of suffering and start to rebuild a destroyed community.

Our delegation included human rights advocates with expertise in diplomacy, peace building, international law, medicine, philosophy and public policy. Most can claim senior citizen status but our average age was lowered by young men with Palestinian and Jewish experience of working to focus on humanitarian law and practice.

Key proposals

We spent an hour with government members and senators discussing fresh ideas about possible Australian initiatives to end the suffering.

Our goal was to present practical proposals that could be developed by the government so that Australian voices can become agents for change.

Our urgent request to parliamentarians called for development of:

1. An Australian Rehabilitation and Rebuilding Action Plan co-ordinated with the ACTU and development organisations to assemble a humanitarian force of workers able to plan and contribute to the reconstruction of Gaza. In particular, medical care is desperately needed and the Australian government could offer a children’s field hospital immediately.
2. An Emergency Special Humanitarian Program for Palestinian refugees offered to Syrian refugees in 2015 and Afghan refugees in 2021.
3. Recognise the state of Palestine as part of a multi-nation plan of peace building at the United Nations General Assembly in New York in September.

These proposals are practical and humanitarian. They show other nations that Australia is determined to be part of a constructive peace process that prioritises humanitarian relief and mediation.

Our delegation welcomed the response we received from government parliamentarians who showed their concern and sympathy for new ways to support the desperate Palestinian people.

We also met independent and Greens parliamentarians who want a clear path for Australia to contribute leadership in resolving this international humanitarian crisis. Australia had a strong tradition of peacekeeping and commitment to international law, so it is essential that we find a way to demonstrate the value of Australian diplomacy and practical support.

A diplomatic tightrope

Wanting to avoid any impression of certainty over solutions to famine and slaughter, the delegation nevertheless highlighted the government’s obligations to adhere to Security Council resolutions and to rulings of the International Court of Justice that Israeli occupation of Palestine is illegal, should be ended and settlers expelled.

Consistent with the judgment of Israeli human rights organisations, we emphasised not just the moral and political duty of MPs, but also their legal obligations. Our emphasis on those obligations raised questions about sanctions as key means of pressure on Israel to end violence and to open all UN centres for the distribution of food, water and medicines.

Exchanges about sanctions led to controversy whether Australia was sending arms to Israel, directly or indirectly. To cut through that controversy, to shorten discussion, our Palestinian colleague Nahad reminded us that he is on a hunger strike until Australia declares a complete embargo of arms sales to Israel.

Another obligation emerged. MPs were reminded that seven years ago, an ALP National Conference had resolved to recognise the state of Palestine.

We presumed that Ed Husic’s advocacy for recognition was shared by his Labor colleagues whom he had encouraged to meet our delegation.

Antisemitism as an issue?

To focus on governments’ and citizens’ responsibilities to save the lives of Gazan women, men and children, our exchanges with members from Greens, Teals and Labor made clear that we regarded the report of the envoy for antisemitism as an expensive, inhumane diversion.

This issue arose in discussion with Monique Ryan, MP for Kooyong, and with staffers from other Teals constituencies, who described the challenges of navigating between commitments to international law and respecting the interests of Jewish and other voters in a diverse constituency.

Over and above persistent controversies, the imposition of sanctions, interpretations of genocide, recognition of Palestine, there looms the prospect of Israel annexing the West Bank and removing surviving Gazans to a “humanitarian city” on land around Rafah bulldozed for that purpose.

Although advised not to refer to this objective as Israel’s “final solution”, we did plead that politicians be vigorous in opposition to this development and confident in expressing the international law rationale for their opposition.

Courage as the cardinal virtue

Questions about courage in politics arose in relation to requests that no one should be intimidated by bullying threats from Israel and the US. We contended, Australia as a sovereign state could act independently by insisting on Palestinians’ rights to a land of their own.

In his courageous advocacy to end the Gaza slaughter and enable Palestine to be recognised, Husic had set an example. So too other MPs Senators David Shoebridge, David Pocock, Independent Fatima Payman and Teals members.

We did not ignore the immediate political context. In Labor’s case, MPs acting independently may be confronted by the prime minister’s and other ministers’ concern with party discipline. The trouble is that this notion of “discipline” may hinder imaginative, risk-taking Australian initiatives to save Palestinians’ lives and enable survivors from Gaza and the West Bank to live safely in a country of their own.

A hidden context

On reflection, we consider that the value of these meetings in the parliament could be increased by answers to questions about the crucial hidden context, where power lies, where key decision makers operate.

Former foreign minister Bob Carr recalls in his diary that as long ago as 2012, Anthony Albanese MP was a lively enthusiast for Palestine statehood.

Now that he is the Labor leader, the PM’s urgency of 13 years ago is apparently replaced by arguments that more time is needed, that wise politicians should wait until a non-existent peace process has been achieved, that Australia should act in concert with like minded nations.

But those like-minded nations have gone elsewhere. Australia is left lagging behind. In the “recognise Palestine stakes”, France has joined 149 other nations and on 29 July, the UK informed Israel it would recognise Palestine unless the war ends and unless conditions for peace are guaranteed.

A hidden context is almost in public view. Future deliberations with MPs and Senators would have to consider such developments.

Our gratitude

Opportunity for the Australians for Humanity delegation to discuss with federal politicians the key moral, political legal issue of our age occurred because of skilled and courageous support from Husic and Shoebridge. We also acknowledge the support and courageous stands taken by SenatorPayman and Independent MP Andrew Wilkie.

The views expressed in this article may or may not reflect those of Pearls and Irritations.