Greens ‘causing harm, division, hatred’
Since October 7, the Greens have made numerous anti-Israel statements, and staged a walkout from the Senate in November.
Jewish leaders have condemned a call by the Australian Greens for Israel’s ambassador Amir Maimon (pictured) to be expelled after the IDF intensified its preparations to target Hamas strongholds in Rafah.
Greens leader Adam Bandt said Prime Minister Anthony Albanese “must expel the Israeli ambassador while their government breaks international law and ignores the international community. Australia has a legal responsibility to make Israel comply with international law, including by taking steps like expelling the ambassador.”
Bandt called for the expulsion of Maimon for as long as Israel, in his view, breaches International Court of Justice provisions regarding aid. It followed Albanese’s letter to the Israeli government to reiterate Canberra’s concern about Rafah’s civilians, for which Israel stated it has provided a humanitarian zone.
On Gazan civilians, Albanese stated in his letter that “it’s not clear where they are supposed to go, given the destruction that’s occurred to housing in other parts of Gaza. We are very concerned about that. And my government’s position is very clear … we support a two-state solution.” But claiming the government did not go far enough, Bandt accused it of “inexcusable cowardice”.
Since October 7, the Greens have made numerous anti-Israel statements, and staged a walkout from the Senate in November, led by Senator Mehreen Faruqi wearing a keffiyeh and chanting, “Free, free Palestine”. In February, NSW state Greens MP Jenny Leong apologised after referring to “tentacles” of the “Jewish lobby”.
Maimon posted, “Lately, certain politicians are calling [for] the Australian government to expel the Israeli ambassador … Before I start packing I once again wish to invite those politicians to set aside 42 minutes in their schedules next week in Canberra to watch the raw footage, proudly recorded by Hamas terrorists on 7 October, when they put their genocidal antisemitic ideology into action – attempting to ethnically cleanse Israel of Jews, massacring and kidnapping Israeli women and children, and committing unspeakable crimes against humanity.”
The AJN sought comment from Bandt on whether he had viewed the video.
Executive Council of Australian Jewry co-CEO Alex Ryvchin said, “Ambassador Maimon is a fine and decent human being and his presence here enriches our country. It is becoming increasingly difficult to say the same thing about the Australian Greens. The Greens have no interest in peace and constructive steps towards a two-state solution … for the past seven months, their every action on this issue has caused more harm, more division [and] incited more hatred.”
Zionist Federation of Australia president Jeremy Leibler stated, “This is merely yet another step in the Greens’ race to the bottom.”
Describing the expulsion call as “abhorrent”, Australia/Israel & Jewish Affairs Council executive director Colin Rubenstein said it was “part and parcel of the appalling and obsessive campaign to label Israeli self-defence efforts as genocide that the Australian Greens have pursued since October 7, not least through repeated failed attempts to force the Parliament to debate a motion to that effect. Their obsession with Israel is looking increasingly sinister.”
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