Greens’ vile sanctions call
Defeated by Labor and the Coalition, the motion was backed by independent senator Fatima Payman, who quit Labor because she wanted a stronger push for Palestinian statehood.
The Greens have drawn condemnation, including being labelled the “total antithesis” of a progressive party, for their latest anti-Israel motion in Parliament.
In the Senate on Tuesday, Greens foreign affairs spokesman Senator Jordon Steel-John’s motion demanded the Albanese government slap punitive sanctions on Israel, naming PM Benjamin Netanyahu, Defence Minister Yoav Gallant and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir.
“This motion is an opportunity for the government to take decisive actions and to send a meaningful message that the actions and words of those leading a genocide are not acceptable to our community here in Australia,” he stated.
“The question is why, 300 days into the invasion, has the government not placed sanctions on any individuals responsible for the genocide? The motion today will draw a clear line in the sand. The individuals who are responsible for perpetrating genocide are to face consequences for their actions.”
Steel-John also demanded the expulsion from Australia of Israeli ambassador Amir Maimon. The envoy responded on X, “It’s as if the horrors of October 7 aren’t even in the Greens’ dictionary. They won’t speak about the murders, rapes or the 120 people still held hostage. Instead, they focus on sanctioning the only democracy in the Middle East and about cutting ties with the world’s only Jewish state.”
Defeated by a joint Labor-Coalition vote, the motion scored a supporting vote from independent senator Fatima Payman, who quit Labor because she wanted a stronger ALP push for Palestinian statehood. And Labor frontbencher Ed Husic earlier said his government should be open to extending Israel sanctions.
Accusing the Greens of politicising Gaza, Labor senator Katy Gallagher detailed the government’s existing sanctions and visa denial for “Israeli extremists”, while reiterating Labor’s call for “an immediate ceasefire, increased humanitarian access, the release of hostages and to prevent regional escalation”.
Macnamara Labor MP Josh Burns said, “Every week the Greens pull stunts in the Parliament targeting Israel. Once again, today’s motion has made it clear they are more interested in playing politics than working together to support communities impacted by the war. They are a party who can’t even bring themselves to support a two-state solution or call out antisemitism within their own ranks. “
Former Labor MP Mike Kelly, co-convenor of Labor Friends of Israel, said the Greens have become the “total antithesis” of a progressive party.
Liberal senator Claire Chandler noted the motion “doesn’t mention Hamas. It doesn’t mention the Islamic Republic of Iran and its terrorist network, and it doesn’t call for hostages to be released.”
Calling anti-Israel attacks by the Greens “a disgrace”, Liberal leader Peter Dutton challenged the government to commit to not forming any future minority government with a party whose “inflammatory political rhetoric has contributed to spreading antisemitism in Australia”.
Former PM John Howard described the Greens as “extremists”, telling The Australian, “Israel is the only true democracy in the Middle East. It has been the victim of continued attacks from nations that refuse to accept its right to exist.”
Noting the motion was moved on Tisha b’Av, Executive Council of Australian Jewry co-CEO Alex Ryvchin was scathing about “a typically low act … on a Jewish holy day, a solemn day of mourning when Jewish people commemorate our national tragedies including the destruction of the Jewish temples in Jerusalem by foreign powers”.
Zionist Federation of Australia president Jeremy Leibler condemned “a party of division who promote hatred of Israel to win votes and sow disunity”, saying the Greens use “every opportunity to bash the world’s only Jewish state” Again, a Greens motion “did not condemn Hamas and did not call for the release of the hostages”.
Australia/Israel & Jewish Affairs Council executive director Colin Rubenstein added, “Repeatedly and falsely accusing Israel of ‘genocide’ while comparing Israel’s war of self-defence to degrade and destroy Hamas – a listed terrorist organisation in Australia – to the actions of Iran, North Korea, Russia and other rogue states should be the final nail in the coffin for the Greens’ credibility.”
Rubenstein also lamented Gallagher’s response to the Greens motion.
The government senator “seemed to be attempting to appease Greens demands – an impossibility given their extremism – by focusing almost solely on the government’s criticism of Israel’s conduct of the war in Gaza”, he said.
“She made no mention of Australia’s tradition of friendship with Israel, Israel’s right to defend itself, or what Hamas did on October 7. This approach is not only inappropriate, but unhelpful in countering the Greens’ descent into extremism and the threat to social cohesion it represents.”
Since the October 7 attacks, the Greens refused to join a cross-party Parliamentary condemnation, launched numerous Parliamentary motions, staged a Senate walkout led by deputy leader Mehreen Faruqi chanting “Free, free Palestine”, and addressed pro-Palestinian rallies. NSW state Greens MP Jenny Leong apologised after speaking of Jewish “tentacles” of influence.
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