Starvation in Gaza has reached a horrific crisis point. But Anthony Albanese’s response has simply been to spout platitudes while continuing to allow the export of weapons components being used in the genocide, alongside normal diplomatic relations and trade with the Israeli terror state.
The starvation has been a deliberate, genocidal policy.
According to The Guardian, more people have died of starvation in Gaza in the 11 days since 20 July than in the previous 21 months since 7 October 2023.
The Israeli government agency Cogat completely controls aid shipments into Gaza. Its own data shows that between March and June, it allowed in less than a quarter of the minimum amount needed to feed Gaza’s population.
The need for action couldn’t be more urgent. But Albanese’s response has been worse than pathetic.
This week Albanese said Israel’s withholding of aid was “quite clearly” a breach of international law and its claims there is no starvation in Gaza were “beyond comprehension”.
Yet he has not lifted a finger to expel Israeli ambassador Amir Meron, who reportedly told journalists that photos of starving Palestinians were “false pictures” and part of a “false campaign that is being [led] by Hamas”.
Worse still, when Foreign Minister Penny Wong was questioned by The Greens this week about the export of F-35 fighter jet parts to Israel, she repeated the absurd claim that Australia only exports “non-lethal” parts for the jets.
Yet Israel’s F-35s would not be able to drop bombs on Gaza without the bomb bay doors and other parts Australia supplies.
And Israel still enjoys access to intelligence from the Pine Gap spy base in the NT.
Palestinian state
The UK, France and Canada have now announced they will recognise a Palestinian state. Albanese is unwilling to take even this small, symbolic step.
Recognising a Palestinian state is part of the push for a two-state solution. French President Emmanuel Macron and its other supporters say this requires Hamas disarming to create a demilitarised state.
There are 750,000 Israelis living in settlements all across the supposed area of a Palestinian state in the West Bank that Israel refuses to dismantle. Israel runs an apartheid regime where Palestinians live under military occupation and are denied basic legal rights, as it continues to drive them from their homes and to steal more land.
This means a Palestinian state would not deliver peace but only continued Israeli domination and oppression. And it would do nothing to challenge Israel’s position as a watchdog state for Western imperialist interests in the Middle East, armed to the teeth by the US and its allies like Australia. The US and Israel say they will never allow a Palestinian state anyway.
Make Israel a pariah state
There is a growing wave of outrage and awareness about Israel’s genocidal crimes. But the growing anger must urgently be turned into action.
Pressure from the Palestine solidarity movement globally has already played an important role in forcing Israel to let in at least some aid.
There is huge anger across the Arab world at the corrupt local rulers who collaborate with Israel. On 25 July two young Egyptians stormed the State Security headquarters in Helwan in southern Cairo, demanding the regime of dictator El-Sisi open the Rafah crossing between Gaza and Egypt. Protesters have descended on the Egyptian Embassy in Beirut demanding Sisi be “put in chains” for his complicity.
Western leaders fear that popular rebellion could topple these regimes if Israel’s genocide continues.
Here in Australia, we need need to build maximum pressure on Albanese to impose comprehensive sanctions and to enforce our own “people’s sanctions” against Israel.
The flood of endorsements in support of the March for Humanity across the Sydney Harbour Bridge show what’s possible. The list includes nine union endorsements and more than 200 other organisations.
But we know from the historic bridge march for Indigenous Reconciliation in 2000 that one major protest, however phenomenal, is not enough to bring justice.
Unions must be pushed towards adopting boycotts and sanctions through bans against the production and transport of weapons, steel and coal to Israel.
There is fertile ground to win more boycotts. In June delegates representing 80,000 NSW nurses and midwives voted to boycott Israeli medical companies profiting from the public health system, including IDF supplier Syqe.
UTS staff and students forced their uni to end a ten-year partnership with Israeli university the Technion earlier this year. Sydney College of the Arts cut ties with Bezalel, an Israeli college that made uniforms for the IDF.
The struggle for boycotts must spread everywhere that ties to Israel exist.
A union day of action for Palestine on 10 September has been backed by the NTEU divisions in NSW and Victoria. This is an important opportunity to strengthen the ties between unions and the Palestine movement. The widest possible support must be built for it in every union and workplace.
The movement also needs to make conscious efforts to amplify dissent within the Labor Party, including by putting Labor speakers on protest platforms. Five Labor MPs have broken ranks with Chris Minns to join the March for Humanity in Sydney.
Israel is a genocidal state and it must be turned into a global pariah. We have to break the starvation siege and keep fighting until Palestine is free, from the river to the sea.
By Adam Adelpour
