Israel intercepts Gaza-bound aid ship Handala
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Sydney Morning Herald
an hour ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
The moral test for Labor has shifted on Gaza: Words are not enough
Just two months ago, the UN warned: 'Every single one of the 2.1 million Palestinians in the Gaza Strip face the risk of famine. One in five faces starvation.' And we know many have been shot by Israeli soldiers while trying to get food. On the weekend, Israel announced it would take steps to restore aid. Sadly, by this stage it is difficult to know with what level of credulity to treat its government's assertions. Israel has long blamed Hamas for looting aid; on Sunday, The New York Times carried a report based on conversations with Israeli military officials: 'the Israeli military never found proof that the Palestinian militant group had systematically stolen aid from the United Nations … In fact, the Israeli military officials said, the UN aid delivery system, which Israel derided and undermined, was largely effective in providing food to Gaza's desperate and hungry population.' This backed reports of a recent American analysis with similar findings. The starvation of the people of Gaza, then, is not an accident; it is not a tragic byproduct of other actions. As de Waal wrote years ago, 'starve' should not be seen as a passive verb. It is something someone does to someone else. And, it follows, something that others permit to be done. Almost a year ago, one Israeli minister, Bezalel Smotrich, said: 'No one will allow us to starve 2 million people, even though that might be just and moral until they return the hostages.' He was wrong. Loading Wong's early call for restraint in Gaza tells us several things. It shows it was possible, at the very beginning, to glimpse some of what was coming. At the same time, Wong's early defensiveness shows how easily participants in public debate – including leading politicians – are able to be knocked off course by efforts to make certain statements unsayable. The conservative press is significant in these efforts; but the rest of the political class, politicians and media, are the ones who allow themselves to be cowed. Israel has achieved as much as it ever will from this war. In the doing, thousands more Palestinians have been killed. Together, these two facts mean that more things are now able to be said. But the moral and practical test for those with influence has shifted. Loading Of course, it's true that Australia can't by itself end the fighting. And it is hard to know what will make Netanyahu listen – or make America behave differently. And it is true, too, that statements can have some effect. The last time famine threatened in Gaza, international pressure led to an increase in aid. Obviously, though, this was only temporary. And that is why it is important to recognise that other options are available to Australia. The UK has now announced it is working with Jordan to deliver aid and will medically evacuate children. France has said it will recognise Palestine as a state, something former Labor ministers Gareth Evans, Bob Carr and Ed Husic are calling for here. On Sunday, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese made clear that Israel has breached international law. This was a welcome injection of clarity. Still, the test at this late stage is no longer whether politicians can issue damning statements. The only meaningful test left is whether our leaders will do everything they can to stop Netanyahu's Israel from killing any more Palestinians.
The Age
an hour ago
- The Age
The moral test for Labor has shifted on Gaza: Words are not enough
Just two months ago, the UN warned: 'Every single one of the 2.1 million Palestinians in the Gaza Strip face the risk of famine. One in five faces starvation.' And we know many have been shot by Israeli soldiers while trying to get food. On the weekend, Israel announced it would take steps to restore aid. Sadly, by this stage it is difficult to know with what level of credulity to treat its government's assertions. Israel has long blamed Hamas for looting aid; on Sunday, The New York Times carried a report based on conversations with Israeli military officials: 'the Israeli military never found proof that the Palestinian militant group had systematically stolen aid from the United Nations … In fact, the Israeli military officials said, the UN aid delivery system, which Israel derided and undermined, was largely effective in providing food to Gaza's desperate and hungry population.' This backed reports of a recent American analysis with similar findings. The starvation of the people of Gaza, then, is not an accident; it is not a tragic byproduct of other actions. As de Waal wrote years ago, 'starve' should not be seen as a passive verb. It is something someone does to someone else. And, it follows, something that others permit to be done. Almost a year ago, one Israeli minister, Bezalel Smotrich, said: 'No one will allow us to starve 2 million people, even though that might be just and moral until they return the hostages.' He was wrong. Loading Wong's early call for restraint in Gaza tells us several things. It shows it was possible, at the very beginning, to glimpse some of what was coming. At the same time, Wong's early defensiveness shows how easily participants in public debate – including leading politicians – are able to be knocked off course by efforts to make certain statements unsayable. The conservative press is significant in these efforts; but the rest of the political class, politicians and media, are the ones who allow themselves to be cowed. Israel has achieved as much as it ever will from this war. In the doing, thousands more Palestinians have been killed. Together, these two facts mean that more things are now able to be said. But the moral and practical test for those with influence has shifted. Loading Of course, it's true that Australia can't by itself end the fighting. And it is hard to know what will make Netanyahu listen – or make America behave differently. And it is true, too, that statements can have some effect. The last time famine threatened in Gaza, international pressure led to an increase in aid. Obviously, though, this was only temporary. And that is why it is important to recognise that other options are available to Australia. The UK has now announced it is working with Jordan to deliver aid and will medically evacuate children. France has said it will recognise Palestine as a state, something former Labor ministers Gareth Evans, Bob Carr and Ed Husic are calling for here. On Sunday, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese made clear that Israel has breached international law. This was a welcome injection of clarity. Still, the test at this late stage is no longer whether politicians can issue damning statements. The only meaningful test left is whether our leaders will do everything they can to stop Netanyahu's Israel from killing any more Palestinians.
Courier-Mail
3 hours ago
- Courier-Mail
Two Aussies were on-board aid ship allegedly intercepted by Israel
Don't miss out on the headlines from Breaking News. Followed categories will be added to My News. Two Australians were on board an aid boat in a bid to challenge the blockade of Gaza when it was allegedly intercepted by Israeli troops. The Freedom Flotilla Coalition said there were 21 people on board the 'Handala' ship, which was stocked with baby formula, diapers, food and medicine, when it was intercepted early on Sunday morning (AEST) about 75km from Gaza. Two Australians, Robert Martin and Tan Safi, were reportedly on board the ship when it was allegedly intercepted by the Israel Defence Forces. Pre-recorded videos of both Mr Martin and Ms Safi were shared to Freedom Flotilla's X pages, alleging they had been intercepted at sea. 'I appeal to my comrades, friends and family, to everyone, to put pressure on your country, Australia, of my country, to demand my release, and the release of everybody on board the 'Handala' as soon as possible. Thank you,' Mr Robert said in the video. An Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade spokesperson confirmed two Australians were on-board the boat, The Guardian reported. NewsWire has contacted DFAT for comment. Two Australians, Robert Martin and Tan Safi, were reportedly on board the ship when it was allegedly intercepted by the Israel Defence Forces. Picutre: Freedom Flotilla/X. The Israel Foreign Ministry said a vessel had been stopped from 'illegally entering the maritime zone of the coast of Gaza' in a post shared to X. 'The vessel is safely making its way to the shores of Israel. All passengers are safe,' the statement read. 'Unauthorised attempts to breach the blockade are dangerous, unlawful, and undermine ongoing humanitarian efforts.' It comes after Anthony Albanese said he believed Israel has 'quite clearly' breached international law through its treatment of innocent civilians in Gaza, but will not follow French President Emmanuel Macron and formally recognise a Palestinian State when he heads to the United Nations General Assembly in September. Anthony Albanese said he was personally heartbroken over the photos coming out of Gaza, with the death toll from starvation and malnourishment increasing. Picture: Omar Al-Qarraa/ AFP A photo taken from the Shait refugee camp in Gaza, picturing a woman, Naima Abu Ful holding her malnourished two-year-old child, Yazan. Picture: AP Photo/ Jehad Alshrafi This follows global condemnation of Israel for restricting aid to civilians trapped in Gaza, with health authorities reporting 123 people have died of starvation and malnutrition. The Israeli military has since said it will begin aid airdrops, and establish humanitarian corridors for United Nations convoys to allow for the delivery of food. Speaking to ABC on Sunday, the Prime Minister said he was heartbroken by the images of starving children coming out of Gaza. While he welcomed the resumption of aid as 'a start,' he reiterated the condemnation of civilian deaths as 'completely unacceptable' and 'completely indefensible'. 'This is a start, but we need to make sure that people who are innocent … including the young boy who people will have seen that image of just breaks your heart, a one-year-old boy is not a Hamas fighter,' he said. When pressed, Mr Albanese also said Israel's actions are 'quite clearly' a breach of international law, given 'international law says that you can't hold innocent people responsible for what is a conflict'. 'I'm a supporter of Israel and Israel's right to defend itself, but that boy isn't challenging Israel's right to existence, and nor are the many who continue to suffer from the unavailability of food and water,' he said. Mr Albanese said Israel had 'quite clearly' breached international law through its treatment of innocent people. Picture: NewsWire / Martin Ollman However, Australia will not follow France, who has become the first large Western power to confirm it will formally recognise Palestinian statehood at the UN General Assembly, joining about 75 per cent of member states. Mr Albanese said that, while Australia 'will make a decision at an appropriate time,' there needed to be more detail on how a Palestinian state would function before he was comfortable making that commitment. 'How do you exclude Hamas from any involvement there? How do you ensure that a Palestinian State operates in an appropriate way which does not threaten the existence of Israel?' he said. 'And so we won't do any decision as a gesture. We will do it as a way forward, if the circumstances are met.' Coalition foreign affairs spokeswoman Michaelia Cash criticised Mr Albanese for not putting more blame on Hamas and its continued refusal to release hostages taken on October 7, 2023. However, Mr Albanese has made repeated comments calling on Hamas to release the hostages, and has reiterated his condemnation of the terrorist organisation. Senator Cash added that while the statement said that Australia wants to 'to see the end of the war in Gaza,' the 'next sentence should have been: 'And we call on the terrorists Hamas, who commenced this war and who are ensuring the suffering of the civilians in Gaza to end this war tomorrow''. 'Does Israel have a moral responsibility? Yes. Should Israel be getting more aid in to civilians in Gaza? Absolutely,' she said. 'And I call on the Israeli government to work with the international agencies to get that aid to the civilians but let us not be blind … to the reality.' Foreign Minister Penny Wong was asked on Sunday afternoon whether Australia was obligated to act given Mr Albanese had said Israel was breaching international law. 'The Prime Minister made out position clear this morning, it is forbidden to withhold aid from civilians, that is not consistent with international law,' Ms Wong said. 'But actually, as importantly, it's morally the wrong thing to do, it's ethically the wrong thing to do.' Originally published as Two Aussies were on-board aid ship allegedly intercepted by Israel
