Protesters took to the streets in many cities around Australia in pre-election protests for Palestine, demanding Australia stop exporting arms to Israel, to expel the Israeli ambassador and demand Israel lifts its total blockade of Gaza.
For more than 50 days Israel has prevented food, medical and any other form of aid into the war-ravaged Gaza Strip. This has become its main weapon of war on the whole population.
Meanwhile, the United States and Australia continue to provide weapons to the genocidal regime.
Despite Labor continuing to claim it has not done this, the Australian Centre for International Justice (ACIJ) said on April 11 that a Canberra-based defence company had developed a remote weapons system which the Israeli military tested earlier this year as part of Israel’s trials of “counter-drone” technologies.
“This revelation suggests Australian components were sent to Israel via third country channels, specifically the US, before being exported as a weapons system to Israel, bypassing Australian export controls and in violation of Australia’s international legal obligations, including under the Arms Trade Treaty,” the ACIJ said.
It said the Department of Defence in June last year reviewed 66 permits and in November advised it had “amended or lapsed” just 16. The ACIJ asked whether that review included exports of parts and components sent via third country channels, including F-35 parts and components but did not receive an answer.
Rawan Arraf, Executive Director of the Australian Centre for International Justice, said that even after 18 months of brutal war “the Israeli military and weapons manufacturers are boasting about the use of new weapons and technologies, in the face of over 50000 killed, 15000 children”.
Arraf said the government and Australian companies are complicit and the exports, including via third countries and that it must end.
“It has been over 10 months, and the Department has still not completed its review, in what is an unacceptable delay in the shadow of a genocide.”
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Around 1000 people joined the protest on Gadigal Country in Sydney on April 27, organised by the Palestine Action Group, Pip Hinman reports. NSW Greens Senator Mehreen Faruqi condemned the major parties for their complicity in genocide, a student from the University of Sydney talked up the importance of the pro-Palestine campaign and a Muslim Votes Matter spokesperson urged people to vote for minor parties, but only after checking they did actually support Palestine. Socialist Alliance for NSW received a shout out as being one of those with bona fides.
Thousands joined the protest in Naarm/Melbourne on April 27 which had as its theme “Lest we forget, Never again means Palestine”, reports Chloe DS. It drew attention to the frontier wars and the genocide in Gaza.
Speakers at the State Library drew attention to the establishment’s attempt to erase and whitewash Australia’s colonial history, just as the major parties and corporate media are attempting to hide the truth about the genocide in Gaza.
The protests marched to Victoria Barracks. Organisers said: “In a departure from traditional ANZAC Day commemorations, this protest rejects the militarism at the heart of nationalist myth-making, particularly the prevailing narrative surrounding the Gallipoli campaign.
“It is vital to reject the official commemoration and white-washing of the history of Australian imperialism. ANZAC Day, April 25th, marks the beginning of the Imperialist Gallipoli campaign that left 8700 Australian troops dead.
“Yet this nationalism betrays the true history of the nation. Australian identity was not forged in the trenches of ANZAC Cove, but in the settler-colonial genocide of the frontier wars.”
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In front of the Barracks, First Nations activist Uncle Robbie Thorpe spoke about how fighting for the liberation of Palestinians and against the genocide in Gaza is tied to First Nations justice and the ongoing genocide of First Nations people here.
“Australia has been an imperial outpost since founding in 1788”, similar to how Israel is an outpost of Western imperialism in the Middle East, he said. Thorpe also said mining uranium and iron ore is being sold to “imperialist mates” to support the war drive.
There was a heavy police presence.
Thorpe reminded people of the Lettsom Raid — the mass-arrest of approximately 400 Wurundjeri, Woiwurrung, Boonwurrung and Taungurung people, and the sentencing and shooting of resistance leaders. Despite the “display of terror”, he said Aboriginal people continued to resist military intervention.
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Bill, from the Teachers and School Staff for Palestine Victoria (TSS4PV), told the crowd about how schools parrot the “tired national myth of the ANZACS” without mentioning the exploitation of the working class, who were thrown into the “meat grinder of imperialist wars”.
Pippa, also from TSS4PV, talked about the pressure to “maintain neutrality” in schools and the ongoing repression of teachers and students. She said some of those who have recently arrived from Gaza felt unsafe to say they had Palestinian heritage.
Other speakers included Greens candidate for Wills Samantha Ratnam, Palestinian advocate Hash Tayeh and Lach Challis, public school teacher and member of TSS4PV, Mums for Palestine and Prams for Palestine.
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Hundreds rallied in Djilang/Geelong on April 26 to protest Labor’s complicity in the genocide, reports Angela Carr.
The rally, organised by Free Palestine Geelong, heard from pro-Palestine candidates and community campaigners. Speakers included Victorian Socialists Senate candidate Jordan van den Lamb; Sarah Hathway, Socialist Alliance candidate for Corio; refugee rights advocate Semele Costelloe; United Workers’ Union organiser Cim-Héloïse and Dr Mohammad Khan from Palestinian Australian New Zealand Medical Association.
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Protesters gathered across the road from the office of Labor defence minister Richard Marles.
Hathway said everyone has an interest in ending the genocide in Gaza and scrapping AUKUS. “In the middle of a cost-of-living and housing crisis there is bipartisan support for spending $368 billion on redundant nuclear-powered submarines.
“All major institutions are complicit in this genocide and we have a moral responsibility to oppose this,” Hathway said.
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A large crowd gathered at Forrest Place in Boorloo/Perth on April 26 to oppose Israel’s ongoing war crimes and genocide in Gaza, reports Blair Vidak.
Socialist Alliance Senate candidate Riley Breen, an organiser in Unionists for Palestine WA, told the crowd: “It’s important for us to use it to promote candidates that support Palestine, not just with nice words but with actions.
“But regardless of the election result, we need to keep building a movement strong enough to force the ruling class to stop supporting this genocide.”
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The latest fortnightly protest in Tharawal/Wollongong on April 26 heard from anti-Zionist Jewish activist, journalist and researcher Yaakov Aharon who spoke about his research into the Australian export of weapons and parts to Israel.
He said many prominent politicians had shares in Bisalloy Steel, the Australian steelmaker which produces armoured steel for Israeli tanks and armoured vehicles. Bisalloy’s share prices skyrocketed when Israel escalated its genocide of Palestinians in October 2023.
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There have been several pickets outside the Bisalloy factory in Wollongong, with the next picket planned for May 8. “In this election vote for Palestine,” Aharon said. “Don’t vote for the evil party and don’t vote for the lesser-evil party … vote for a candidate that has promised to do what they can to end Australia’s involvement in this genocide.”
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After all meet-the-candidates meetings in the Sydney electorate were cancelled due to Labor MP Tanya Plibersek refusing to attend, the City of Sydney for Palestine (CoS4P) held an open air “Vote for Palestine” meet-the-candidates forum and rally at Sydney Town Hall on April 24, reports Isaac Nellist.
CoS4P had invited all Sydney candidates, as well as Senate candidates and candidates from surrounding electorates to attend. But only the Greens’ Luc Velez (Sydney), Ethan Floyd (NSW Senate), Nick Ward (Wentworth) and Socialist Alliance’s Rachel Evans (Sydney) and Andrew Chuter (NSW Socialist Alliance Senate) attended.
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On the same night, The Coalition of Women for Justice and Peace assembled at Parramatta Square to form a “Chain of Women” standing up for the rights of Palestinian people.
Carrying placards with anti-genocide statements, they stood in silence while a simple drumbeat helped bring their powerful message home: Australian politicians who support the genocide in Gaza must be held accountable.
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