NSW Labor conference echoes federal position on Israeli-Palestinian issue
Ostensibly pro-Palestinian protesters demonstrated outside the conference.
This weekend’s NSW ALP conference urgency resolution on Israel and recognition of a Palestinian State was in line with the last national ALP conference, Labor Israel Action Committee (LIAC) secretary Byron Danby said.
The LIAC is a group within the NSW Labor Party that promotes a two-state solution and a balanced approach to Israel within the Labor movement.
LIAC welcomed calls for the Australian Government to unequivocally condemn Hamas’ abhorrent terror and missile attacks on Israel on October 7 and urged a continuation of a call for the release of Israeli hostages held in Gaza.
In addition, there was a statement against antisemitism and Islamophobia.
Danby said, “The conference rejected a number of extremist resolutions and instead echoed the position put forward by the federal Labor government and the position adopted by the most recent national conference.
”Members of LIAC engaged in a dialogue with party officials and members of the federal and state Labor parliamentary team and thanked them for their efforts to work together constructively.
“Australian Foreign Minister Senator Penny Wong said in the Senate earlier this month that recognition can only take part as part of a peace process and the conference position is in line with this.”
Danby added that the conference decision was also in line with recent comments made by senior Labor figures such as former Victorian premier Daniel Andrews.
Ostensibly pro-Palestinian protesters demonstrated outside the conference.
It comes after Prime Minister Anthony Albanese – who appeared at the conference on Saturday – issued a joint media release late on Friday afternoon with his Canadian and New Zealand counterparts calling for an urgent ceasefire in Gaza.
“The situation in Gaza is catastrophic. The human suffering is unacceptable. It cannot continue,” the statement from Albanese, Justin Trudeau and Christopher Luxon said.
“We remain unequivocal in our condemnation of Hamas for the atrocities of October 7 and ongoing acts of terror. Hamas must lay down its arms and release all hostages. We see no role for Hamas in the future governance of Gaza.
“Israel must listen to the concerns of the international community. The protection of civilians is paramount and a requirement under international humanitarian law. Palestinian civilians cannot be made to pay the price of defeating Hamas. It must end. An immediate ceasefire is needed desperately.”
The three leaders also addressed the situation along Israel’s border with Lebanon.
“We are particularly concerned by the situation along the Blue Line, including the escalation of hostilities and rhetoric between the terror group Hizballah and Israel,” they said.
“This escalation in hostilities only makes a ceasefire in Gaza more urgent. We urge all involved actors to exercise restraint and de-escalate.”
Noting the statement was released just prior to Shabbat, Zionist Federation of Australia president Jeremy Leibler said the government “cannot have it both ways”.
“It cannot simultaneously call for the dismantling of Hamas and demand that Israel unilaterally end the war in Gaza – thereby leaving Hamas in power and able to deliver on its promise to commit another ‘7 October’ attack on Israel,” Leibler said.
“They are fundamentally incompatible demands. Hamas started this war, and is the reason it has not ended. The war would end tomorrow with the release of the hostages and the surrender of Hamas. Applying pressure on Israel to end the war unilaterally only serves to embolden Hamas and prolong the war.”
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