Outraged Mp Calls Out Prime Minister’s Campaign Against Israel And The Jewish People After Latest UN Vote
After initially committing to abstain from the vote, the Australian Government chose to support a motion in the Second Committee of the UN General Assembly, which affirms the “permanent sovereignty of the Palestinian people in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and of the Arab population in the occupied Syrian Golan over their natural resources”. Australia also voted to apportion blame to the State of Israel for the 2006 Jiyeh Power Station oil spill during the Israel-Lebanon Conflict.
Sunshine Coast MP, Andrew Wallace, is outraged, chalking the decision up to another misstep in the Federal Labor Government’s record on Israel and antisemitism. Mr Wallace, who served as a Political Advisor to the UN General Assembly in 2023, said that the Prime Minister and his Labor Government had put on full display its cowardice and recklessness when it comes to bolstering Australia’s standing, strength and security on the world stage.
The Deputy Chair of Parliament’s powerful intelligence and security committee, Mr Wallace called for meaningful action, not empty words, to cement long-lasting peace in the Middle East, and to combat the growing scourge of antisemitism in Australia.
“Anthony Albanese isn’t just gutless; he is endangering Australia’s closest global partners, putting at risk decades of international friendship and nearly $1.4 billion in two-way trade,” Mr Wallace warned.
“One-sided resolutions advance division and political games, not peace and reconciliation. If the Government was serious about building peace in the Middle East, it would support Israel’s mission to eliminate Hamas, Hezbollah and the Houthi. It would list Ansar Allah as a terror group. It would declare Southern Lebanon as a prohibited conflict zone. And it would demonstrate courage as Australian Jews face the most disgraceful antisemitism in generations,” said Mr Wallace, who also serves as the Deputy Chair of Parliament’s Defence Subcommittee.
The MP, who visited Israel in 2023, is the Chair of the Australian-Israel Allies Caucus. He pointed out that, “this resolution seeks to legitimise sovereignty on a people who demand the sovereign territory of another nation – a nation which they have sought to annihilate for over three quarters of a century. The decision flies in the face of our shared history, our bipartisan position, and most important international alliances. It’s weak. It’s shameful. And it’s proof that Anthony Albanese is not fit to lead our country.”
“At first, we thought it was incompetence. Then, we thought it was wilful blindness to meet some crass political end. What we see now is that Anthony Albanese, Penny Wong, and the Federal Labor Government are waging a systematic campaign against Israel and the Jewish people,” Mr Wallace added.
In the last year alone, the Federal Labor Government has:
Delayed a visit to Israel by Senior Ministers, and then refused to visit the sites of the atrocities in a show of wilful blindness.
Reinstated UNRWA funding despite an ongoing investigation into the UN agency’s complicity in the October 7 terror attacks, an investigation which inevitably proved that as many as 9 UNRWA workers were involved in the murder of 1,200 and kidnapping of 251 Israeli men, women, and children.
Called for a ceasefire and two-state solution just months after the attacks – on a Jewish high holiday.
Voted to recognise the State of Palestine at the UN General Assembly, breaking with allies and decades of bipartisanship on the matter.
Watched on as the trade union movement backed Hamas and the two-state solution, after a long history of trade union antisemitism.
Chose cowardice over courage when the International Criminal Court issued warrants for Israel’s democratically elected leaders.
Failed to hold the Australian Human Rights Commission to account for antisemitism within their senior leadership.
Dithered and delayed instead of responding to vile antisemitism on Australian university campuses, then refused to support an urgent judicial inquiry into antisemitism on those campuses.
Were woefully slow to act when their own Senator Fatima Payman chose solidarity with Hamas and The Greens over the Jewish people.
Took the coward’s way out by abstaining on a UN General Assembly vote – proposed by Palestine – to demand Israel cede its territory and end its so-called occupation.
Sided with UNRWA and its Hamas-affiliated counterparts after Israel’s elected legislature voted to revoke UNRWA’s right to operate on Israeli sovereign territory.
Voted to affirm the sovereignty of the Palestinian people over the sovereign territory of Israel.
Time and again, equivocated and hesitated to support Australia’s Jewish community and our enduring partner in the Middle East, Israel – while allowing extremists to march through our streets with impunity because of Anthony Albanese’s weak leadership.
