In the next federal election, people will not forget the Liberal Party’s disgraceful policy of supporting Israel’s crimes, violation of international laws, and betrayal of Australia’s values and principles to appease Israel and its extremist lobby, especially in the five marginal seats held by the Liberals – Banks (NSW), Sturt (SA), Deakin (VIC), Menzies (VIC) and Moore (WA) – where Australian Muslims and the Arab community hold the balance of votes.
An open letter to Senator the Hon Simon Birmingham, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate, Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs. 21 December 2023.
Dear Senator,
In your interview with the ABC radio this morning (21 December 2023), you parroted Israel’s position saying, Hamas killed Israelis on 7 October “just because they were Jews” and that the opportunity for peace and a sustainable ceasefire requires the disarming of Hamas.
Senator, do you know Israel is a colonial occupier of Palestine, oppressing, killing Palestinians daily and denying them their basic human and national rights because they are not Jews? Do you know the Palestinians are fighting the Israelis not because they are Jews but because they are colonisers, oppressors and occupiers? Do you know that peace and a sustainable ceasefire require an end to Israel’s colonisation and recognition of the inalienable Palestinian rights and the right of Palestine to exist?
You also said your heart grieves for the killing of all children. Why then for the last two and half months, did we not hear you condemn Israel’s deliberate and indiscriminate bombardment of civilians killing over twenty thousand including 8,000 children and 6200 women? These civilians and 8000 children were not killed by the Israeli army with their smart and targeted bombs accidentally. So why don’t you and your party support a ceasefire so Israel’s killing of children and civilians will stop?
Do you think Senator Australians are that stupid? To show such a level of ignorance and blind political extremism in support of an apartheid colonial occupier is shameful.
By supporting Israel with all its aggression, occupation, violations and denial of the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination, do you realise you are endangering Australia’s own security, sovereignty, and world order? Do you realise your hypocrisy in opposing Russia’s aggression and occupation of Ukraine on the one hand and supporting and defending Israel’s aggression and occupation of Palestine on the other? Your hypocrisy and double standards are obvious to the Australian public and the international community.
In the next federal election, people will not forget the Liberal Party’s disgraceful policy of supporting Israel’s crimes, violation of international laws, and betrayal of Australia’s values and principles to appease Israel and its extremist lobby, especially in the five marginal seats held by the Liberals – Banks (NSW), Sturt (SA), Deakin (VIC), Menzies (VIC) and Moore (WA) – where Australian Muslims and the Arab community hold the balance of votes.
Senator Birmingham, such ignorance, hypocrisy and double standard, brings shame to Australia, the Liberal Party and your position as shadow minister of foreign affairs.
Ali Kazak
Former Palestinian ambassador
Ali Kazak is a former Palestinian ambassador and head of delegation to Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific region. He is an expert in Australian-Arab relations and affairs, and author of “Australia and the Arabs”. (In Arabic).
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