The Australian government is arguing over paltry sums of money in aid to Gaza when the people are starving particularly in the north. We should be air dropping and landing food aid into the Gaza Strip now. No permission should be requested from the Israeli government. At the same time, Australia is providing Israel with weapons of mass destruction. This must stop now.
On 31 January 2024, WBT requested Australian Senator David Shoebridge make an inspection of Ferra Engineering in Tingalpa in Brisbane. Ferra would not permit Max Chandler-Mather (Member for Griffith) or David Shoebridge to undertake an inspection. This a weapons factory making bomb parts to be used in the genocide on Gaza. David Shoebridge is Defence spokesperson for the Greens in the Commonwealth parliament. Both members of government and opposition have inspected this facility in recent years. The local member Ross Vasta (Federal Member for Bonner) is one. Why are government and opposition running for cover over their support for war crimes? Why haven’t mainstream media focussed on ministerial contempt of international law? The letter and briefing below may provide some reason for lies put out by government and opposition.
For example, the Foreign Minister has constantly denied that Australia exports weapons to Israel. This is a lie. The Minister claims that the Australian Government has provided “$11.5 million to help address the protracted refugee crisis in the region“. Maybe. This however is the amount that the government took away from APHEDA (union aid abroad) that has been doing work in refugee camps in Lebanon and has projects in Gaza and the West Bank. The money was withdrawn under the same pretext Penny Wong withheld UNRWA money, that APHEDA had employed a member of Hamas. Of course, this was bullshit and the current labor minister and the previous LNP minister knows it. They were both following the lead given by the United States. – Ian Curr, Ed., WBT 29 Feb 2024
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“For over three months, members of the Labor Government, including Defence Minister Richard Marles and Foreign Minister Penny Wong, have held the line that “Australia is not sending weapons to Israel and has not done so for the past five years”. This claim by Labor MPs has also been proliferating through a social media campaign allegedly combatting ‘disinformation’.
The reality is that Australia is a major exporter of military goods to Israel, and our government may at risk of being prosecuted for complicity in war crimes due to our export of F-35 bomber parts and other weapons being used in attacks on Gaza.
Government Instagram post reposted by a number of MPs
Despite the government’s attempts to cover up Australia’s weapons exports to Israel, minor parties and human rights groups have used what little accountability measures are available to challenge this claim.“
I first met Samah Sabawi over 10 years ago. Her family once ran a thriving hotel in Gaza. Heed her words!
Thank you for your correspondence.
Foreign Minister Wong recently returned from a visit to Jordan, Israel, the Occupied Palestinian Territories and the United Arab Emirates. She visited a Palestinian refugee camp, met with the families of Israeli hostages held by Hamas attacks and Palestinians affected by Israeli settler violence, and met with official representatives from across the region, the United Nations and NGOs.
It is clear from the Foreign Minister’s engagements Australia has a respected voice, even if we have never been a central player in the Middle East.
We are using that voice to advocate for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire and a pathway out of this conflict. Foreign Minister Wong made clear Australia’s view that achieving peace and security for Israelis and Palestinians requires a two-state solution and the establishment of a Palestinian state. The status quo is failing everyone.
We are using our voice to express Australia’s serious concern about the civilian death toll and dire humanitarian situation in Gaza. Foreign Minister Wong emphasised that international law must be upheld – and that civilians and civilian infrastructure must be protected.
We are using our voice to advocate for the immediate and unconditional release of hostages by Hamas, and to condemn the October 7 terrorist attacks by Hamas. Foreign Minister Wong expressed our concern for hostages directly to families when she met with them.
We are using our voice to express our grave concern at indications Israel is planning a ground offensive into Rafah. About 1.5 million Palestinians are taking refuge in the area. With the humanitarian situation in Gaza already dire, the impacts on Palestinian civilians from a major military operation would be catastrophic. Our message to Israel is: do not go down this path.
Foreign Minister Wong also met with Palestinian victims of violence by Israeli settlers. She made clear to her counterparts that this violence must cease and perpetrators must be held accountable. We consistently affirm that settlements are illegal under international law and a major impediment to peace.
Australia is using our voice to advocate for urgent humanitarian assistance to reach Palestinians in Gaza in desperate need, and to address the protracted refugee crisis in the region. While in Jordan, Foreign Minister Wong announced an additional $21.5 million in humanitarian assistance, taking Australia’s total humanitarian contribution since this conflict began to $46.5 million.
The humanitarian crisis and the catastrophic consequences of regional escalation underlines why Australia is using our voice to advocate for parties to avoid the conflict spreading.
As demonstrated by our recent vote at the United Nations, Australia is part of the international diplomatic effort urging an immediate humanitarian ceasefire. We see that as a critical, urgent step on the path to a permanent ceasefire. Like any ceasefire, this can’t be one-sided. Hamas must cease its attacks, lay down its arms and release all hostages immediately.
UNRWA does life-saving work but the recent allegations against its staff are grave and need to be urgently investigated.
UNRWA’s life-saving work is why Australian Governments – of both stripes – have provided funding to UNRWA since 1951. Foreign Minister Wong doubled Australia’s annual core funding within months of taking office. Our closest partners including the United States, the UK and Canada all make major contributions.
Right now, approximately 1.5 million Palestinians are sheltering in UNRWA facilities, and thousands of its staff are involved in the humanitarian response in Gaza.
The need for this critical work to continue is why Australia welcomed UNRWA’s swift response to recent allegations, including terminating staff and launching an investigation, as well as its announcement that former French Foreign Minister Colonna will chair a full independent review of UNRWA.
We are now working together with a number of countries in the same position as us: we want to provide urgent humanitarian aid to people in Gaza. Collectively we are making clear to UNRWA it needs to demonstrate strong, transparent and accountable leadership for the international community to move forward together.
While this work is being done, Australia and fourteen other countries including Germany, Sweden and the Netherlands are temporarily pausing funding. For Australia this means the recently announced $6 million in additional funding for UNRWA has been temporarily paused. It does not affect Australia’s annual core funding of $20.6 million, which has already been provided for this financial year.
Since the beginning of this conflict Australia has committed $46.5 million in humanitarian assistance through a range of trusted partners including UNICEF and the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement. This includes $35 million to meet essential needs in Gaza, the West Bank, Lebanon and Egypt arising from the conflict, and $11.5 million to help address the protracted refugee crisis in the region. Much of this $46.5 million has been delivered – and it will be delivered in full.
Australia and New Zealand made clear in a recent joint statement that we respect the independence of the International Court of Justice and the critical role it plays in upholding international law and the rules-based order. Decisions of the ICJ are binding on the parties to the case. Our shared expectation is that Israel act in accordance with the ICJ’s ruling, including to enable the provision of basic services and humanitarian assistance.
Foreign Minister Wong’s engagements in the region underlined how heavily this conflict weighs on the peoples of this region. We mourn every Israeli and Palestinian innocent life which has been lost in this conflict and will continue to use our voice to support steps to peace in the region.
Israelis and Palestinians want and deserve to live their lives in peace, security and dignity.
Seeing the impacts of the conflict close up underlined for Foreign Minister Wong the importance of remembering our common humanity, and how important it is that we safeguard peaceful dialogue in our community in Australia.
I appreciate you taking the time to write to the Foreign Minister.
Sincerely
Office of Senator the Hon Penny Wong
Leader of the Government in the Senate
Minister for Foreign Affairs
Requiem for another casualty of the genocide
“My name is Aaron Bushnell, I am an active-duty member of the United States Air Force and I will no longer be complicit in genocide,” the 25-year-old said before setting himself on fire. As he did so, he made the call chanted by so many around the world: “Free Free, Palestine”.
My thoughts
It is a terrible thing to take your own life because it leaves behind so many that love you. Protest by suicide also means one less person to stand against United States and the complicity of its elites in Israeli genocide on Gaza; I encourage the many young people who, like Aaron Bushnell, support Palestine to actively oppose United States complicity in the war on the Palestinian people.
Vale Aaron
Ian Curr
Editor WBT
27 February 2024