‘Tepid’ Australia accused of emboldening Israel
Dominic Giannini and Farid Farid |
Australia has been accused of emboldening Israeli atrocities in Gaza by allowing the Jewish state to effectively act with impunity, with only tepid critiques from the federal government.
Israel had aimed to extinguish the possibility of an independent Palestine during the war in Gaza, international law expert Ben Saul said.
“Israel’s extreme war of vengeance has proved a grave threat to the very survival of Palestinians, as well as endangering Israeli hostages and the future of Israel’s own security,” Professor Saul told the National Press Club on Wednesday.
“Decades of impunity have emboldened Israel to believe that there are no constraints and to commit ever more serious atrocities.”
Prof Saul welcomed Australia’s recognition of Palestine, but accused the government of being “pretty tepid” on Gaza.
He used the speech to dispel arguments against a Palestinian state, including claims it would reward Hamas’ terrorism.
Self-determination was the legal right of all Palestinians and cannot be denied because of the terror group’s actions, Prof Saul said.
“To the contrary, it rewards Israel’s illegal occupation, denial of self-determination and international crimes,” he said.
Prof Saul took aim at critics who said recognition should come at the end of a negotiated peace process with Israel and shouldn’t be declared unilaterally, especially as the war in Gaza continued.
He noted Israel unilaterally declared statehood in 1948 and Palestinians were still waiting for their independence.
“Continuing to call for negotiations, as some in this country do, is either naive or calculated to support continued Israeli intransigence and is doomed to fail,” he said.
He noted the creation of a state was often violent and Israel itself was founded in blood, including the massacre of civilians by Jewish terrorist groups.
“Australia and the United Nations still recognised it.”
Human rights expert Chris Sidoti said Australia had an obligation under international law to prevent genocide.
Mr Sidoti is one of three commissioners, selected by the Human Rights Council, which found Israel’s war crimes in Gaza constituted genocide.
Mr Netanyahu has denounced the report and other claims of genocide.
The speeches come on the back of US President Donald Trump announcing a peace plan for Gaza backed by Israel.
Both experts cautiously support the plan, welcoming the overarching goal of achieving peace.
But Prof Saul said aspects of the plan were so vague it was essentially preserving Israel’s preferred status quo of failed negotiations and indefinite deferral of statehood.
Mr Sidoti agreed, adding when the killing stops and the starvation campaign stops and the hostages are released and the Palestinians arbitrarily detained are released, then we can all admit that the peace plan is going nowhere.
“It’s smoke and mirrors, but, for God’s sake, let’s stop kids being killed.”
Mr Sidoti said while the recognition of Palestine was an important first step, it wasn’t enough.
He called for broader sanctions on Israeli political and military figures perpetuating war crimes, a block on funds being transferred to illegal settlements and a comprehensive embargo on arms and military co-operation.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, whose government has sanctioned far-right Israeli ministers Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich, has denied Australia sends weapons to Israel.
Critics have pointed to more than 70 Australian companies contributing to the global supply chain for the F-35 fighter jet program, according to the defence department.
“If components that are being manufactured here in Australia are finding their way into F-35 aircraft being used by the Israeli Air Force to bomb the hell out of Gaza, we share responsibility. It’s as simple as that,” Mr Sidoti said.
More than 65,000 people have been killed in Israel’s nearly two-year military assault on Gaza, according to the local health ministry, after Hamas killed 1200 Israelis and took a further 250 hostages, according to Israeli tallies.
AAP
