Labor held to account over Israel's genocide in the 42nd week of protests

July 31, 2024

Issue

Marching against genocide, Magan-djin/Brisbane, July 28. Photo: Alex Bainbridge

The 42nd week of continuous protests against Israel’s genocide came after a July 26 joint statement by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and the Prime Ministers of New Zealand and Canada.

Albanese and the other leaders are trying to neutralise the pressure they are under from an ongoing protest movement driven by the public horror at Israel’s ongoing atrocities.

Protesters were not convinced.

Albanese spoke at the NSW Labor conference in Gadigal Country/Sydney on July 27 alongside a giant banner that read “Albo: Accessory to genocide”.

People held signs reading: “Albanese: Blood on your hands” and “Cut ties with Israel now”.

Nick Reimer from Trade Unionists for Palestine told 1500 people that people power is needed to defeat the capitalist/imperialist carnage.

The Australia/New Zealand/Canadian statement uses stronger language against Israel but still specifically condemns and makes demands on Hamas, not Israel.

It condemns “Iran’s attack against Israel of April 13-14” while remaining silent on the Israel’s earlier attack on Iran’s consulate in Damascus.

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Albanese has blood on his hands, Gadigal Country/Sydney, July 27. Photo: Zebedee Parkes

The statement calls on Israel to “respond substantively to the International Court of Justice’s (ICJ) advisory opinion” and Australian leaders have called on Israel to cease “settlement expansion” whereas the ICJ ruling was that the entire occupation is illegal.

It shows that while Labor continues to feel the pressure of the protest movement its criticism of Israel remains muted.

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Less 'grave concern', more sanctions, Magan-djin/Brisbane, July 28. Photo: Alex Bainbridge

Almost 500 people rallied in Magan-djin/Brisbane on July 28, as speakers unpacked the significance of the ICJ’s ruling from the week before.

International lawyer Kristen Zornada told the rally that “People say: what's the point of international law if it can't stop a genocide? If international law is so useless, if it's toothless, if it's non-binding, then why is Israel so scared of it?”

She explained from experience that Israel works hard to discredit international law and said that that the head of Mossad had spent “five years and millions of dollars” trying to intimidate the previous International Criminal Court (ICC) prosecutor into dropping their investigation of Israel.

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Kristen Zornada speaking, Magan-djin/Brisbane, July 28. Photo: Alex Bainbridge

She said that it may seem like Israel doesn't care about international law “because they certainly don't respect it”, but behind closed doors, they care greatly.

She also debunked three key Zionist talking points. Against the claim that “Israel has a right to exist” she pointed out that international law grants rights to people, not states, “to exist”.

Against the claim that “Jewish people are indigenous to the land of Israel and have a right to self determination”, she said the right to self determination under international law grants the right to a nation, not a state.

Against the claim that “Israel has a right to defend itself” she said this comes from Article 2 of the United Nations Charter. The very next words are “against other states”, not against territories you occupy.

She called on federal Labor to sanction Israel, “not individual settlers on the West Bank, [sanction] Israel”.

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Waving the Palestinian flag, Yuarna Yerta/Adelaide, July 28. Photo: Jordan Ellis/Instagram

The rallies were happening as the Olympic games began. Reporting from Kaurna Yerta/Adelaide, Jordan Ellis said that “Israel uses the Olympics to sportwash its reputation [while] the apartheid state continues its genocide of the Palestinian people”.

Israel bombed a school in Deir-al Balah, where thousands of displaced civilians were sheltering the day before the July 28 rally. Israel killed 30 people and injured 100 more.

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The main pro-Palestine action in Boorloo/Perth last week was a vibrant anti-war protest outside the Indian Ocean Defence and Security (IODS) Conference on July 24.

The protest was supported by Stop AUKUS WA, Friends of Palestine WA, Students for Palestine, Unionists for Palestine and Nuclear Free WA.

A similar protest was organised by Students for Palestine on July 25 outside Israeli weapons company Rafael Systems. David Shoebridge said the genocide was “not in our name”.

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Shiksas for a free Palestine, Naarm/Melbourne, July 28. Photo: Chloe DS

The 42nd week of uninterrupted pro-Palestine protests in Naarm/Melbourne included a rally on July 28, reports Chloe DS. Speakers expressed solidarity with the student protests in Bangladesh, Indigenous people and refugees.

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“Murderers cannot be peacemakers” Bangladeshi student Ahmed told the crowd.

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'Did you know...?', Naarm/Melbourne, July 28. Photo: Chloe DS

Harriet, who attended the rally, said “Kids can't go to school in Gaza”.

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Participants with Nick Hanna and Ahmed Abadla at the Gold Coast screening of The Last Sky. Photo: Supplied

Director Nick Hanna and Sydney-based Palestinian activist Ahmed Abadla spoke at a 50-strong screening of The Last Sky on July 27 at the Helensvale Cultural Centre. Susan Price reports that the event was organised by supporters of Palestine on Kombumerri/Gold Coast and followed successful screenings of the film in the Northern Rivers region of New South Wales.