The Australian Prime Minister, Scott Morrison’s comments that, “Israel unquestionably has the right to defend itself and its people, unquestionably“, has raised concern amongst Muslim community leaders and Palestine advocacy groups of the pro-Israel policy of the current Australian government amid relentless bombardment by Israel that UN says is ‘Hell on Earth’ for the lives of children in Gaza.
Israeli warplanes have carried out 1,810 airstrikes on the Gaza Strip resulting in the death of 232 people including 65 children with 1,900 wounded inflicting more than $323 million of damage and destroying at least 1,335 homes, 184 residential towers and office buildings, 66 schools and primary healthcare clinics and 33 media institutions, displacing more than 72,000 Palestinians so far.
The Australian Muslim Advocacy Network (AMAN) has submitted a legal complaint to the Australian Government, and also written to the Leader of the Opposition.
“The situation unfolding in Palestine and response from the Australian Government and Federal Opposition are deeply concerning and profoundly impacting on the psychological well-being and security of many Australian Muslims, many Australians of Palestinian origin, as well as many Australians from the broader community.”
“The unprovoked Israeli state violence on peaceful worshippers in the Al-Aqsa Mosque, on the holiest nights of Ramadan, was particularly painful for Australian Muslims, as was the media and our government’s scarce attendance to it. It left many feeling very helpless. For many Muslims the footages coming out from the Mosque echoed the violence of the Christchurch massacre on peaceful worshippers, and no doubt, it would have been celebrated by anti-Muslim groups and individuals the world over.”
“The harrowing scenes of children and families murdered by the Israeli military (61 children as we write this letter) renders government statements of unconditional support for Israel deeply insensitive, out of touch, lacking fundamental respect and empathy, and discriminatory against fellow Australians.”
The United States is not an honest broker in the Israel-Gaza conflict, John Dugard, a former United Nations Special Rapporteur to the UNHCR has said.
He told BBC World News: “I think it has become very clear that the US is not an honest broker. First of all there’s the evidence provided by the failure of United States to support a resolution at this stage, but secondly there’s the fact that the United States continues to operate its embassy from Jerusalem, which is contrary to international law.
“And also there is the fact that the United States pays military aid or tribute to Israel in the form of $3.8bn a year. So the United States has disqualified itself as an honest broker,” he added.
The US has been blocking attempts to issue a joint statement from the UN Security Council saying it would not help with the de-escalation of hostilities, but it has called for a ceasefire.
The UN Security Council’s efforts for a truce between Israel and Gaza’s Hamas rulers remain stalled, meanwhile, with the US continuing to veto action on the issue.
The Australia Palestine Advocacy Network APAN has launched an email campaign – asking local parliamentarians and political leaders to call on Israel to stop the bombing. An unprecedented 15,500 people have sent emails already.
Vigils in support of those suffering in Gaza has been organised throughout Australia: APAN’s events diary
Adelaide: 22 May,11am. Vigil. Find out more
Brisbane: 22 May, 10am, Protest. Find out more
Cairns: 22 May, 3pm, Esplanade, outside RSL
Canberra: 23 May, 3.30pm Find out more; 26 May, 12pm, Find out more.
Darwin:23 May, 9.30-12.30, Find out more
Hobart: 22 May, 11am, Find out more.
Melbourne: 22 May, 1pm. Rally. Find out more
Perth: 23 May 11am, Rally Find out more
Sydney: 22 May, 1pm, Protest. Find out more
Wollongong: 22 May, 1pm, Protest Find out more
BRAVO to the Australian Muslim Advocacy Network (AMAN) for making a formal complaint to the LNP government for its blatant reiteration of ‘Israel’s right to defend itself’ .
According to Chris Hedges, “Israel, by employing its military machine against an occupied population that does not have mechanized units, an air force, navy, missiles, heavy artillery and command-and-control, not to mention a U.S. commitment to provide a $38 billion defense aid package for Israel over the next decade, is not exercising “the right to defend itself.” It is carrying out mass murder. It is a war crime.” https://scheerpost.com/2021/05/14/chris-hedges-israel-the-big-lie/
No support came from the government for Palestine’s legal right to defend itself under international law- ‘To quote United Nations General Assembly Resolution A/RES/33/24 of 29 November 1978:
“2. Reaffirms the legitimacy of the struggle of peoples for independence, territorial integrity, national unity and liberation from colonial and foreign domination and foreign occupation by all available means, particularly armed struggle;”
Shame that you didn’t refer to the number of Gazan deaths caused by rockets fired from Gaza that fell on local communities causing death and injury to children and adults. Shame that you didn’t refer to the fact that there are no bomb shelters for the people of Gaza, only tunnels that house Hamas and other fighters as well as command and control centres and munitions. Shame that Hamas initiated the fighting by launching rockets that Israel responded to. Israel, Hamas and the other local actors are all to blame for this shameful war. It’s a shame that your opinion piece lacks balance.
Shame that the aboriginal people didn’t have the firearms and other capabilities of fending off their invaders. Shame that you do not question the validity of the Zionist claim to a country that isn’t theirs. Shame that you don’t question the rockets over the years that the majority landed into the desert with zero kills with the exception of once in a while one may reach a town and kill one or two Israeli citizens. Shame that you approve the retaliation should results in the loss of tens of thousands of Palestinians lives over the handful if that of the loss of Israeli lives. Shame that you along with the rest of the invaders are united under the same one banner of stench. You can polish a turd as much as you want, but a turd will always be a turd and that’s what Israel is.
too many facts spoken here.
I find it hilarious that journalists are now finding the courage to about it now. The one sided view policy being in favour to Israel by the United States and Australia is nothing new. You forgot to mention France, Canada, England, Germany and the rest of Europe. A little too late. We Muslims have tried our best to integrate with society, but to no avail. We must face the bitter truth that nations outside our faith will never accept us. Our faith teaches and demands fairness, justice, honesty and above all belief, obedience and loyalty in one God which does not coincide with their corporate beliefs. Money is their God, their church is just a facade to disguise their true nature and intentions. They are loyal to no one, not even to each other, but they unite under the one banner to destroy anyone that stands in their way. They are hypocritical filth, parasites in every sense of the word. We must accept the fact that we the Muslim people are nothing more than their dogs in their backyard whom they throw a bone when they choose too and kick us more often than not. Just like Pharaoh subjected the Israelites to 400 years of persecution and humiliation and the white English fools who captured, chained and transported African men, women and children to sell them as slaves to none other than their cousins and partners the United States who continued with this practice of enslavement for 400 years. But as God is just, all tyranny must come to a humiliating blow in the end, so to they will face the wrath and humiliating defeat and victory will be ours. So let them stand firm with Israel, we will stand firm with Allah. We will always have the advantage over them because of our stance with Allah, even if we fought them with sticks and stones.
write*
My recent email to The Age:
Hello Editor
I was pretty amused (the kind of amuse that is beyond shock) that while Gaza burns and suffer genocide your paper mentioned that Mr Obama’s dog had died. Vale. I am all for diversity of news but C’mon. The few comments i made which i would admit was not beholden to the right wing policy of Israel did not see the light of day. No surprise here.
“They’re so afraid to say anything that might upset Benjamin Netanyahu, which like drives me crazy” said
journalist Ana Kasparian and that sort of explains it all. “Why don’t you just condemn the killing of children”, the exasperated Ana ask the American leaders.
I know, i know some would say the Gazans had no right to fire their decrepit rockets across the border and the fact that they did the consequence of genocide should not matter. Do anyone really care to speak about the root cause of the frustrations of the incarcerated Gazans in a congested, open air prison if you like. Also what actually started this round of violence which appears to be politically motivated for self-serving reason. Never mind the loss of lives.
Maybe if your paper could have a bit more coverage of the sad state of affairs in the Middle East and allow critical comments to be publish you would be doing Justice to a lop-sided narrative just now.
Kind Regards
Mal
Here, here
The usual barrage of hysteria from the pro-Israel lobby is muted compared to the response to past atrocities. It is being balanced by dissenting Jewish voices which put issues of justice before narrow nationalism.
Social media, regarded as “satanic” by some LNP voices, has allowed the expression of popular outrage to breach the well-controlled walls of containment once raised by corporate media.
That our media in Australia is under the control of Murdoch, Stokes and Costello, and the ABC under the control of a “captain’s choice” and an ABC Board which is being stacked by like-minds, may not be enough to ensure the continuation of the old narrative.
Well said, Bilal.
Many in Government, Opposition and mainstream media deny or conceal much of Palestine’s history, including the Israeli Occupation itself.
It is easy for Morrison to unquestionably approve of a burglar killing a house’s occupants who try to fight the burglar off, if he is blind to the burglary itself and unquestionably considers it the burglar’s own home.
(Previous comment retracted)
Many in Government, Opposition and mainstream media deny or conceal much of Palestine’s history, including the Israeli Occupation itself.
Consider the case of a burglar who breaks into a house, but the occupant fights back. The burglar kills the occupant who is unquestionably a terrorist, claiming self defense and also claims the right to kill any future occupants he wishes to steal from. This is unquestionably justified because the burglar happens to be very powerful and have powerful friends.