Muslim Votes Matter issued the following statement on January 7, before the Attorney General left for Israel.
* * *
Muslim Votes Matter (MVM) expresses its outrage at the Albanese government’s decision to send Australia’s most senior legal officer, Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus, to Israel to “repair” strained diplomatic ties.
This move is nothing short of a betrayal of Australia’s commitment to upholding international law, including its obligations under the Rome Statute and the Genocide Convention.
This decision comes as Israel continues its brutal assault on Palestinians, actions that have been widely condemned as genocidal by international human rights organisations, including Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, the United Nations and substantiated by key international legal bodies.
The International Court of Justice (ICJ) has indicated that Israel’s actions amount to a plausible genocide, while the International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued arrest warrants for Israel’s Prime Minister and former Defence Minister for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity.
At a time when the global community should be doing everything in its power to stop the slaughter of innocent civilians, Australia’s priority appears to be “repairing” its friendship with the very state committing these atrocities.
Sending the Attorney-General — an individual entrusted with safeguarding Australia’s adherence to international legal obligations — to mend relations with a state accused of war crimes is unconscionable.
Instead of holding Israel accountable, this government is choosing to bolster diplomatic ties, sending a message that Australia’s friendship with a state accused of genocide matters more than the lives of the Palestinian people.
This is not just a moral failure, it is a legal and political disgrace. By aligning itself with a state engaged in egregious human rights violations, Australia risks further eroding its standing as a nation committed to justice, human rights, and the rule of law.
In the lead-up to a federal election, this decision raises serious questions about the government’s priorities. Instead of addressing the legitimate concerns of Australians, including the thousands of constituents demanding justice for Palestinians, this government is bending over backward to accommodate a state that has repeatedly defied international law.
MVM demands the following:
• Cancel the Attorney-General’s visit
This trip is an insult to the principles of justice and human rights. We call on the government to immediately cancel the Attorney-General’s visit to Israel.
• Immediate ceasefire advocacy
Leverage Australia’s international relationships and influence to advocate for an immediate and sustained ceasefire to protect civilian lives and ensure unrestricted humanitarian access to Gaza and the surrounding regions.
• Comprehensive arms embargo
• Enforce a complete arms embargo on all parties involved in the conflict.
• Immediately halt Australian defence goods exports to Israel.
• Terminate Australian defence contracts with Israeli companies.
• Strengthen measures to ensure Australian exports are not directly or indirectly used to supply Israel with weapons, arms, or materials implicated in attacks on Gaza, the West Bank, Lebanon, or the surrounding region.
• Withdrawal of diplomatic representation
Recall the Australian Ambassador to Israel as a protest against the growing atrocities in Gaza, following the precedent set by other G20 nations in recent months.
• Recognition of Palestine
• Unconditionally recognise a sovereign and independent State of Palestine.
• Align Australia with the overwhelming majority of UN member states, affirming the rights of Palestinians under international law.
Accountability for war crimes
• Investigate the involvement of Israel Defence Forces (IDF) personnel holding Australian citizenship or residency in activities potentially constituting war crimes or breaches of international humanitarian law.
• Ensure transparent and robust accountability mechanisms to address these findings.
Economic measures
• Implement a comprehensive boycott of Israeli goods, services, and materials originating from or produced by all illegally occupied territories.
• Review trade agreements and ensure Australian imports and investments are not complicit in sustaining illegal occupations or violations of international law.
Humanitarian support
Substantially increase humanitarian aid to Gaza and other impacted Palestinian areas, ensuring the funds directly assist civilians and rebuild vital infrastructure destroyed during the conflict.
Engagement with the Australian-Palestinian community
Proactively consult with the Palestinian diaspora and Muslim communities in Australia to ensure their perspectives are considered in shaping policies addressing the conflict.
The Attorney-General’s trip, if it proceeds, will forever stain this government’s record.
Australians deserve leaders who uphold justice, not those who bow to geopolitical expediency at the cost of human lives.
History will remember those who stood on the right side of justice—and those who chose silence and complicity. MVM will continue to demand accountability and amplify the voices of those who have been silenced for too long.
Enough is enough. Cancel the visit. Act for justice. End the genocide.
[Muslim Votes Matter can be contacted through its website or Facebook page.]