Tuesday, 15 August 2023

Australia–Israel relations

David DAVIS (Southern Metropolitan) (16:24): (384) My adjournment tonight is for the attention of the Minister for Multicultural Affairs and also for the Premier; I think it is highly relevant for the Premier. The Labor Party nationally have flagged a number of concerning changes that they are about to implement, and Senator Wong has said that we will change the way we are describing relations between Australia and Israel and in particular the words that we use to describe a number of matters surrounding the West Bank and Gaza. Using the word ‘illegal’ to describe Israeli settlements, Senator Wong said the change would strengthen Australia’s opposition to Israeli settlements on the West Bank and, in a shot at the Morrison government’s pro-Israel tilt, emphasised certain principles. She has also said that they are going to start referring to the ‘occupied Palestinian territories’.

All of this has certainly upset many in the Jewish community. The Australia/Israel & Jewish Affairs Council has blasted the shift as a ‘profound disappointment’; that was the description. AIJAC executive director Colin Rubenstein said:

It is incredibly counter-productive to label these areas as occupied Palestinian territories, with the government purporting to know what the boundaries of any future two-state resolution will look like …

That was in an article in the Australian Financial Review. Australia has got to be in a position where we are not one-sided, but we do need to respect the contribution of the Jewish community; it is a democracy. Mr Rubenstein also added that:

… asserting that Judaism’s holiest sites, such as the Western Wall and Temple Mount, are Palestinian territory is “highly unacceptable”.

These matters actually affect harmony here, too. I do not think the federal Labor Party or anyone should have opened these matters further. I do not think they should have changed the description. This seems to be some left-wing pressure inside the Australian Labor Party at a national level, but it has repercussions into areas here. My electorate has many Jewish community members in particular.

It is interesting. The Guardian carried an article that dealt with this as well:

The move sparked claims from the Coalition … that ‘the faceless men and women of the Labor party’ were dictating foreign policy …

Well, I think that is right, and that has repercussions and concerns here. I think Bob Hawke would be turning in his grave and I think this is the wrong decision, and I call on the Minister for Multicultural Affairs and the Premier, if possible, to advocate against this move, to actually pull Senator Wong into line and ensure that harmony is preserved in Victoria.