The esteemed Aboriginal activist, Sam Watson, fervently allied himself with the Palestinian movement, drawing parallels between two nations that have both experienced the profound pain of lost territories.
Unfortunately, Sam Watson is no longer with us. Following his departure there has been a noticeable void, with no other Aboriginal leaders echoing Watson’s passionate sentiments on the matter in recent days, presumably avoiding risk to the Voice referendum.
Australian Muslims recognise that political expediency does not lend itself to the sacrifice of morality.
After Anthony Albanese appealed to the Australian Muslim community to support the Voice, a notable response emerged. With the backing of The Australian National Imams Council, the Muslim community immediately announced their endorsement of the ‘yes’ vote.
However in recent days, Anthony Albanese’s comments have downplayed the human rights violations experienced by Palestinians who have been dispossessed of their lands for over half a century, while simultaneously expressing sympathy towards Israel, the acknowledged oppressor for decades.
This systematic oppression is according to the United Nations Fact Finding Mission on the Gaza Conflict, which reveal a stark contradiction to words from politicians and mainstream media, that Israel imposed a blockade amounting to collective punishment and carried out a systematic policy of progressive isolation and deprivation of the Gaza Strip.
This contradiction becomes even more glaring, given the Prime Minister’s direct appeals to Australian Muslims in their mosques.
It appears Anthony Albanese is wary of potential voter backlash if he doesn’t demonstrate support for Israel. However, in doing so, he seems oblivious to the fact that he’s risking the allegiance of his entire Muslim voter base.
Instead of waiting for the next election to express our discontent, we, as a community, would choose to manifest our displeasure immediately.
Given this backdrop, it is imperative for Australian Muslims to take a decisive stance. To unequivocally voice their discontent with the Australian Labor Party’s perceived double standards, they should vote ‘no’ in the voice referendum.
This will presents a tangible, immediate means for the Muslim community to collectively convey their reservations about the Labor party’s hypocrisy.
The betrayal of the Australian Muslim and Arab community and the large section of the general population which respects human rights by the extreme stand in support of what half of the Israeli population has recently desfribes as a fascist regime, will have profound effects.
Many of us expected the Labor government to issue in an era of greater respect for democracy, for the building of a multicultural community freed from the white Tory era of Abbott and Morrison.
At least Albanese has called upon Israel for restraint and repect for the lives of civilians while African gangs Dutton has called for no restraint. But he is well beyond the Pale.
The right to self-defence a mantra that America and most of the Western nation accord to Israel is an euphemism for the green light for Israel’s War Crimes. The countries that pride themselves in upholding the Rights of Animals do not have the moral fibre to call out Israel genocidal campaign against the Palestinians who are trapped in the densely populated prison of Gaza. Some even have the gall to voice that no cease- fire is necessary. Just imagine if Putin were to unleash half the fire-power (compared to Israel) on the Ukrainians (who by the way have a bigger land mass, better fire power and not being imprisoned). There will be song and dance of protest by the same countries that are now too beholden to demand a cease-fire. The propaganda and cliche regurgitated about Israel facing existential threat, the only Middle East country with nuclear arsenals and the most lethal of American fire power whilst the real existential threat of Palestinians from Palestine is not ever acknowledged. Decapitation of babies by Hamas disavowed by Joe Biden and some media continue to be reported while decapitation and vaporisation of Palestinian babies, children, women and non-combatant is not an issue. With the bombs there is raining on Gaza would’nt that be an obvious consequence?
The bottom line for the Arab leaders if they have some self-respect and humanitarian concern for their people is that Israel and the West give more weightage to Israel lives than Palestinians. It harks back to the Colonial days where natives are dispensable and their White Masters see them best as sub-humans. This confected anger as to what happen on Oct 7th and what ‘” they did” and what “we will do” conveniently mask the bigger picture that Israel a brutal occupier had subjugated the occupied to the point of eruption. Anybody who claim that Oct 7th was unprovoked is either naive or a liar.