‘Departing from Australia’s bipartisan support’

Requirements for Hamas to disarm and the Palestinian Authority (PA) to undergo reform have reportedly been removed from a draft policy platform circulated ahead of Labor’s national conference, to be held from July 23–25.

The conditions had underpinned the Government’s recognition of a Palestinian state last September.

According to The Australian, an April draft stated, “Hamas must disarm and can have no role in the state of Palestine” and “we will continue to work with the international community to hold the Palestinian Authority to its commitments”.

The latest draft instead merely states that Labor “condemns terrorism and violent extremism, including as perpetrated by Hamas and other extremists.”

The revised text affirms “the right to self-determination” for Palestinians, “in accordance with relevant United Nations conventions and Security Council resolutions” – which government sources say includes UN Security Council Resolution 2803, which calls for PA reform and stipulates Hamas will have no role in Gaza’s future governance.

The draft is more critical of Israel, condemning “illegal settlement activity” and “extremist settler violence,” and calls to “implement further action and sanctions as necessary.”

It also expresses support for the International Court of Justice and International Criminal Court and “compliance with their binding decisions”.

The AJN understands negotiations are underway to amend the platform’s wording ahead of the conference.

A spokesperson for Foreign Minister Penny Wong told The AJN: “The Albanese Government unequivocally condemns Hamas, including for its atrocities on 7 October 2023 and its ongoing acts of terror, and we have been clear there can be no role for Hamas in a Palestinian state.

“Israelis and Palestinians deserve to live their lives free from terror and violence.”

Australia/Israel & Jewish Affairs Council executive director Colin Rubenstein was critical of the draft text.

“On top of the Government’s profoundly counter-productive move to unilaterally recognise the non-existent State of Palestine last year, these moves demonstrate how far the ALP is departing from Australia’s traditional bipartisan support for a negotiated two-state resolution,” he said.

“Hamas’ disarmament and PA reforms are not peripheral issues — these were the central conditions repeatedly articulated by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese as prerequisites for Australia’s recognition of a Palestinian state last August.”

Zionist Federation of Australia CEO Alon Cassuto said that while his organisation had not seen the draft and would not speculate, “For the ALP to now omit or dilute the very commitments the Government relied upon to justify recognition would compound that mistake.”

Labor Friends of Israel co-convener Mike Kelly voiced support for the alternative position adopted at the NSW ALP conference over the weekend, which affirmed that Australia’s recognition “remains contingent on commitments from the Palestinian Authority.” That position called for “reaffirming Israel’s right to exist in peace and security; ensuring Hamas relinquishes its weapons … and never controls Gaza again,” alongside PA demilitarisation and democratic elections.

The NSW conference, held against a backdrop of anti-Israel protests outside and the unfurling of a Palestinian flag inside during Premier Chris Minns’s address, endorsed a series of resolutions by the Labor Israel Action Committee (LIAC) condemning Hezbollah, Hamas, the Houthis, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and Hizb ut-Tahrir.

“We appreciate NSW Labor adopting our resolutions to condemn these extremist organisations,” LIAC secretary Byron Danby said.

Delegates also passed resolutions mourning the victims of the Bondi Beach attack, condemning antisemitism, and endorsing the Royal Commission into Antisemitism and Social Cohesion. A minute’s silence was observed in memory of the Bondi victims.

LIAC convened a panel on the Royal Commission moderated by Member for Coogee Marjorie O’Neill featuring Kelly, Jewish government minister Ron Hoenig, Bondi survivor Simon Sawday, ECAJ head of legal Simone Abel and Labor staffer Savannah Peake.

“Protecting social cohesion means standing together and making it clear there is no place for antisemitism or any form of hate in our community,” Hoenig said.

NSW Jewish Board of Deputies president David Ossip thanked the panellists and LIAC. “At a time of challenge for Jewish Australians, it was encouraging to see so many Labor leaders and party members engaging seriously with these challenges and expressing support for our community,” he said.

NSW Minister for Multiculturalism Steve Kamper said the Minns Labor Government “is proud to stand with the Jewish community and support strong resolutions condemning antisemitism”.