Photo: Israeli defence officials pose with an EOS Remote Weapon System in January (Supplied: Israel’s Ministry of Defense; ABC News )
On Friday 11 April ABC News revealed to the public that Australian weapons are being sent to Israel via the United States.
The Australian Muslim Advocacy Network (AMAN) has called on Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to disclose the full list of Australian arms trade with Israel through AUKUS, Australia’s alliance with the US and UK.
Australia’s ‘dark arms trade’ with Israel through AUKUS
The Albanese Government abolished strict controls on Australian exports as part of the AUKUS arrangement by law on 27 March 2024, effectively creating a dark arms trade market with Israel via the U.S. and the UK.
Australia currently exports $5 billion in military goods to the US and the UK every year.
The USA openly refuses to be accountable under the Rome Statute for war crimes, and supplies about 69% of Israel’s military needs.
A weapons company’s internal transfer of DGSL goods across international borders likely counts as an export action requiring a permit except where recent AUKUS laws have deemed otherwise.
Under international criminal law, Australian leaders must not materially contribute to or assist war crimes.
Denial
“When individuals of conscience ask for transparency and question complicity, the Government’s response has been to frame these concerns as threats to social cohesion and a catalyst for increased terrorism risk,” stated the spokesperson for AMAN.
“When people inquire about the presence of Australian weapons in Israel, the Government unequivocally denies it, despite the photographic evidence,” the spokesperson added.
“We want this Government to come clean on whether it even knows how many Australian military exports end up in Israel or whether that was the whole point of their AUKUS reforms – to create a dark market with Israel and hide the truth.”
Red Lines Package
AMAN has also called on both the Prime Minister and Opposition Leader to disclose whether their party supports the Red Lines Bills Package introduced by independent senators in November 2024.
This package would introduce critical checks on Australian military exports to prevent Australia from arming or funding atrocities anywhere in the world.
Labor’s Penny Wong told Senate Estimates in February that her Government did not support the package. There has been no comment from the LNP on the public record.
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