September 10, 2024
The Jewish Council of Australia welcomes Foreign Minister Penny Wong’s support for the decision by the United Kingdom to suspend 30 arms export licenses to Israel. We also welcome the Foreign Minister’s statement that Australia is working with allies to place pressure on Israel to stop its human rights abuses.
In order for these statements to be meaningful, they must be combined with action by Australia. This includes implementing sanctions against Israel, backing a global arms embargo, and the other steps recommended by the Australian Centre for International Justice in response to the International Court of Justice’s recent Advisory Opinion.
Foreign Minister Wong’s announcement comes as dozens more people in al-Mawasi in southern Gaza were killed and injured by Israel. It also comes as reports emerge that Israeli forces detained and threatened UN staff involved in the polio vaccine campaign.
The re-emergence of polio in Gaza, with a 10-month old baby recently paralysed by the virus, further demonstrates the urgent need for the International community to do all that it can to pressure Israel to stop its bombardment of Gaza.
Sarah Schwartz, Executive Officer, Jewish Council of Australia:
“The mounting death toll in Gaza and Israel’s treatment of UN staff involved in the polio vaccine rollout demonstrates that Israel will not listen to the international community until there are consequences for its actions.
We welcome Foreign Minister Wong’s statement in regard to supporting the UK’s suspension of arms export licenses to Israel. But in order to be meaningful, these words must be combined with material action. This includes reviewing Australia’s political, military and economic ties with Israel, as well as imposing sanctions, and throwing our weight behind a global arms embargo.”
Dr Max Kaiser, Executive Officer, Jewish Council of Australia:
“With each passing day, it becomes clearer that Israel is a rogue state. We say this as part of a large and growing number of Jews – in Australia and around the world – who have been calling for a ceasefire for many months, and saying that Israel’s actions are completely incompatible with our Jewish values. Opposing this genocide is an expression of our Jewishness and an honouring of our ancestors who were themselves the victims of genocide and racist violence.
The Australian Government has all the tools necessary at its disposal, including sanctions and travel bans on suspected war criminals, which it has deployed against Russia. All that is missing is the political will.”
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