Australian community mourns 12 children killed
Foreign Minister Penny Wong condemned the strike and warned against escalation.
Zionist Federation of Australia CEO Alon Cassuto this week called on the federal government “to unequivocally support Israel to take actions to remove the Hezbollah threat” after a rocket fired from Lebanon killed 12 children who were playing soccer in the Israeli Golan Heights town of Majdal Shams on July 27.
It was Hezbollah’s deadliest attack on Israel since October 7.
Foreign Minister Penny Wong condemned the strike and warned against escalation.
Writing on X, she said, “The leaders of Australia, Canada and New Zealand made clear on 26 July the grave concerns we hold about further escalation and destabilising actions in the Middle East. We demanded Iran and its affiliated groups, including [Hezbollah], cease their attacks.”
She noted that the statement by Prime Ministers Anthony Albanese, Justin Trudeau and Christopher Luxon also called for “diplomatic efforts to implement UN Security Council Resolution 1701”.
Resolution 1701 was passed in response to the 2006 Israel-Lebanon war and sought to create a demilitarised zone between the Blue Line and the Litani River and to disarm terror groups including Hezbollah, however it was never implemented.
“We are particularly concerned by the situation along the Blue Line, including the escalation of hostilities and rhetoric between the terror group [Hezbollah] and Israel,” Albanese, Trudeau and Luxon said. “We urge all involved actors to exercise restraint and de-escalate.”
Iran-backed Hezbollah denied responsibility for the Majdal Shams attack, although Israeli and US intelligence believe that the terror group fired the rocket, noting the Falaq 1 projectile is made by Iran and is in Hezbollah’s possession.
Since October 8, Hezbollah has fired thousands of rockets towards Israel, killing at least 41 Israelis.
Shadow Foreign Minister Simon Birmingham condemned the attack stating, “The world should be resolute in standing against these terrorists and holding Iran to account.”
Liberal Senator Dave Sharma told media, “The international community needs to be putting more pressure on Iran … Hezbollah in Southern Lebanon has been armed, funded and trained … by Iran, Hamas in Gaza has support from Iran, this is the source of so many problems in the Middle East.”
In contrast, Greens MP Adam Bandt wrote on X, “Labor must pressure the extremist Israeli government to end its genocide in Gaza and not escalate war by invading Lebanon. Sanctions now.”
Australian Jewish community leaders expressed solidarity with the Israeli Druze community and called on Australia to stand with Israel against Hezbollah.
Cassuto said Hezbollah is a terrorist organisation “that bears full responsibility for dragging Lebanon and its civilians into this conflict”.
“The international community had a duty to keep Hezbollah away from Israel’s border and has failed. In this case, this failure has led to the tragic death of many children,” he said.
Executive Council of Australian Jewry co-CEO Alex Ryvchin told The AJN, “The people of Israel, especially the devastated Druze community, are demanding an end to Hezbollah terrorising the country with impunity.
“Tens of thousands of Israelis remain in evacuation. This cannot become the status quo. Israel is fighting not only its enemies but the enemies of the US and the free world. The support and understanding of Western governments, including our own, is the least we would expect.”
Australia/Israel & Jewish Affairs Council executive director Colin Rubenstein said, “Our heartfelt sympathy goes to the families of the victims and to Israel’s Druze community.
“This attack reaffirms the need for the international community to enforce UN Security Council resolution 1701.”
It was reported last month that Israeli ambassador Amir Maimon had been summoned to meet with Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs Tim Watts, who told the envoy Australia would not support the Jewish state in a war with Hezbollah.
Asked by The AJN on July 9 whether Australia would support its ally, Israel, in such a war, Albanese replied, “What we support is more peace and less conflict … there’s nothing to be gained from an escalation of conflict in the region that brings in Hezbollah, Iran and other parties.”
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