Australia ramps up security at synagogues, mosques as parliament divides on Gaza

Synagogues and mosques will be given help to upgrade security under a $50 million federal plan to protect communities in the wake of the Hamas terror attack on Israel as parliament divided on the killing of Palestinians in a hospital in Gaza.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Opposition Leader Peter Dutton backed the increased spending to shield 177 schools, places of worship and community facilities after a security warning about the danger of spontaneous violence.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese at Sydney’s Lakemba Mosque on October 6.Credit: Nick Moir

Hundreds of Australian citizens who are seeking to leave Israel are being offered seats on a Royal Australian Air Force flight that is due to depart Tel Aviv over the next 24 hours, while Australian diplomats are seeking help from Egyptian authorities to allow 46 Australians to flee the Gaza Strip.

The debate in federal parliament intensified after the deaths of hundreds of Palestinians at al Ahli Hospital in Gaza, leading the Greens to challenge the major parties with a motion in the Senate to oppose an Israeli invasion of the territory.

Their motion failed to gain any support, opposed by Labor, the Coalition and the crossbench, and was defeated by 41 to 11 votes late on Wednesday.

Independent MP Zoe Daniel said she disagreed with the Greens’ motion because Israel had a right to defend itself within the rules of war, while she added that humanitarian help should be delivered to the people of Gaza.

To take account of the heightened domestic risks, the government increased security spending by $10 million on Monday, adding to a program that opened for applications in July with $40 million promised.

The list of 177 projects is dominated by Jewish and Muslim places of worship but also includes Anglican, Hindu, Catholic and other faith-based facilities in all states and territories.

Albanese announced the spending in question time with a condemnation of the deaths of civilians on both sides of the conflict, starting with the “heinous attacks on Israel by the terrorist group, Hamas” and also citing the explosion at the Gaza City hospital.

“It is clear there has been a devastating loss of life and our thoughts are with those killed, those injured and their loved ones,” he said of the hospital blast.

“The protection of civilian lives must come first and respect for international humanitarian law is absolutely paramount.

“We condemn as a government any indiscriminate attacks and targeting of civilian infrastructure including hospitals. Australia joins with others in calling for international law to always be upheld.

“Every innocent life matters. Whether Israeli or Palestinian, every innocent life matters.”

Responding moments later, Dutton welcomed the $50 million program and noted it followed similar spending under the Coalition, then added his condemnation of the Hamas attacks on Israel.

Dutton referred to concerns that Hamas had told Palestinian civilians not to flee south from Gaza City.

Albanese and Dutton in parliament on Wednesday.Credit: Alex Ellinghausen

“Nobody wants to see the loss of any civilian life, and the conduct of Hamas in telling people to stay in harm’s way is a deplorable act, but not the first and not the last, we are sure of that,” the opposition leader said.

“To the Islamic communities here in our country, to people of Jewish faith, to people of any faith, they deserve to live in our country unencumbered by racism, prejudice or by attacks.”

Greens leader Adam Bandt said he and his party condemned the Hamas atrocity but that parliament should also speak out against an invasion of Gaza.

“When you sanction a full-scale military assault on people who are walled in with nowhere to go, you are going to see civilian casualties, it’s what the United Nations has been warning about and tragically, it’s what we’re seeing now,” he said.

Daniel, the member for Goldstein in Melbourne, pointed to the warning from Five Eyes security chiefs, including Australian Security Intelligence Organisation director-general Mike Burgess, about the need for careful public remarks when there was a risk of spontaneous attacks.

“I don’t think what the Greens are doing is helpful, I think it’s inflammatory – and we have to be careful that this doesn’t spill over into our own country,” she said.

Daniel said the boundaries of international law and the rules of war meant Israel should protect Palestinian citizens, but not Hamas because it was a terrorist group.

Independent MP Zoe Daniel said the boundaries of international law and the rules of war meant Israel should protect Palestinian citizens, but not Hamas as a terrorist group.Credit: Alex Ellinghausen

Australian authorities have sent an RAAF transport to the Middle East to prepare a repatriation flight that could leave Tel Aviv late on Wednesday night or early on Thursday morning, Canberra time. There is no certainty about the number who can be repatriated because some Australians have indicated in the past that they wanted help leaving Israel but have changed their minds.

The message from authorities is that there may not be many more repatriation flights out of Tel Aviv. The government estimates there are 1200 Australians in Israel, including 300 who are registered to receive information updates but have not indicated they plan to leave.

In the Gaza Strip, an estimated 46 Australians are trapped due to the attacks from Israel in the north and the closure of the border with Egypt in the south.

Australia has asked Egypt to allow the Australians to flee south and has arranged accommodation for them in the hope this is possible.

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