Israel pushes to soften party’s draft policy on Palestine and Gaza
Israel is seeking to soften criticism of the Jewish state in Labour’s policy platform, which calls for attention to settler violence in the West Bank, condemning a controversial new death penalty law and supporting two international tribunals considering genocide and war crimes charges against Israel.
Palestinian advocates called for Labor to go further by banning defense exports to Israel and imposing comprehensive sanctions, while the Israeli embassy in Canberra argued that Labor’s draft national platform was one-sided towards Israel, soft on Hamas and other Palestinian groups for their failure to advance the peace process.
Given that Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has sought to project party unity under his leadership, Labor’s three-day national conference in Adelaide is unlikely to feature lively debate on contentious issues such as AUKUS, after senior ministers spent months trying to resolve arguments behind the scenes to avoid public rows breaking out in the conference hall.
But debate on the Middle East could flare as the draft policy platform goes into more detail about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict than past manifestos, and pro-Palestinian activists marched after Albanians voted to recognize the Palestinian state last year.
The draft platform does not include accusations of genocide over Israel’s method of warfare in Gaza or calls for restricting arms sales to Israel, but party activists are pushing behind the scenes to make it harder.
The draft platform states, “The Labor Party opposes the annexation of Palestinian territory and calls for Israel to end its illegal settlement activities and occupation to ensure the security of Palestine, Israel and the region.”
“Labour calls on the government to block any support for illegal settlement activity or extremist settler violence and to take further action and sanctions where necessary.”
It also condemns legislation passed by the Israeli parliament in March that expands the use of the death penalty for terrorist crimes in the occupied West Bank and “all other discriminatory laws targeting Palestinians.”
The Israeli embassy said in a statement on Monday that it “respectfully submits that the various elements of the draft national platform run the risk of placing responsibility for the conflict on a single party, while not paying sufficient attention to the decisions, behavior and ongoing obligations of the Palestinian leadership and terrorist organizations such as Hamas.”
The embassy noted that “policy proposals are still in draft form and will continue to engage constructively with the Australian Labor Party through the usual diplomatic channels.”
The draft platform also states: “The worker believes in international law and will defend it.
“The Labor Party supports the International Court of Justice and the International Criminal Court and compliance with their binding decisions.”
While the International Court of Justice is evaluating the genocide case filed due to Israel’s attitude in the war in Gaza, the International Criminal Court is evaluating the war crimes allegations against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The draft platform also states that Labor “unreservedly condemns terrorism and violent extremism, including by Hamas and other extremists.”
The Israeli embassy said in a statement: “The truth is that the path to peace will open as soon as the Palestinians recognize the existence of the State of Israel and undergo significant reform.
“This result cannot be achieved by putting pressure on Israel.”
The embassy claimed that the escalating settler violence in the West Bank in recent years was a “reprehensible but marginal event” that had received disproportionate international attention.
“The Israeli government and the settler movement itself condemn this, and security forces are working to catch such illegal behavior,” the statement said.
The United Nations said in June that there have been an average of six settler attacks a day on Palestinians this year, resulting in casualties or property damage; This is the highest figure in history.
The Australian Palestine Advocacy Network is calling on Labor to end Australian defense exports and military cooperation with countries that risk contributing to war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide.
The group is also calling for an end to Australia’s trade and investment in Jewish settlements in the West Bank and for the Future Fund to cancel all investments linked to the settlement initiative.
APAN president Nasser Mashni said: “Australia must consider the obligations arising from its recognition of Palestine, and the Conference must draw a red line on genocide and Australia’s complicity.”
He said Australia should comply with the 2024 International Court of Justice recommendation, which found that Israel’s presence in occupied Palestinian territory is illegal and Israeli settlements are illegal.
“Recognition of Palestine cannot remain symbolic. Australia must impose comprehensive and wholesale sanctions on the Israeli regime and any entity linked to the settlement initiative,” he said.
Albanese’s recognition of the state of Palestine at the United Nations General Assembly last September fulfilled a commitment built into Labour’s 2018 policy platform.
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