Bill Shorten moves to edge Labor back from Penny Wong’s policy precipice over Israel-Hamas ceasefire

‘We’ve called for a humanitarian pause, but we completely recognise that Israel’s dealing with Hamas who don’t want to negotiate,’ Bill Shorten said at Parliament House on Tuesday. Picture: NCA NewsWire / David Beach

Bill Shorten has emerged as yet another, different senior Labor voice on the Israeli-Hamas fighting in Gaza and the rise of anti-Semitism in Australia since the October 7 terror attacks.

Significantly the former Labor leader, Cabinet minister, leading Victorian right-winger who is seen as a long-term friend of Israel, sought to further modify Penny Wong’s weekend call for steps towards a ceasefire in Gaza and unequivocally criticised the anti-Semitic “hoons” who caused the evacuation of a synagogue last Friday.

The Albanese Government – facing internal divisions and demographic pressures from Palestinian supporters in Western Sydney – has been confused and contradictory on its support for Israel. It has also been slow to initiate criticism of anti-Semitic acts against Jews in Melbourne and Sydney.

In separate media interviews on Tuesday, ostensibly to talk about the final report into the Coalition’s failed Robodebt scheme, Shorten sought to bring Labor back from the Foreign Minister’s policy precipice over a ceasefire.

Wong’s support for a ceasefire and warning about Israel breaking international law went beyond the Government’s stated position – with dangerous ramifications for the status of the Hamas terror group – and looked like “mission creep” with Wong gradually shifting ground.

On Monday in Parliament Anthony Albanese played down Wong’s comment claiming she hadn’t called for ceasefire and declared it was within the terms of the Parliamentary motion passed in support of Israel after the terror attacks.

But the Prime Minister did not back any moves to “start the steps” towards a ceasefire.

Shorten went further on Tuesday stating that Australia was “in very close step” with the United States and other Western nations in seeking “a humanitarian pause” and rejected any notion of “negotiating” a ceasefire with the Hamas terrorists.

“We’ve called for a humanitarian pause, but we completely recognise that Israel’s dealing with Hamas who don’t want to negotiate,” Shorten said.

“How do you negotiate with someone who says you don’t have a right to exist?”

Shorten also said it was impossible for the Government to “just please everyone” and said the position on Israel and Palestine and anti-Semitism went beyond the electoral considerations in seats with large Jewish or Arabic populations.

“What we’re trying to do is operate by our principles. We absolutely recognise that what’s triggered this latest round of violence was the shocking, murderous attack by Hamas on Israel,” he said.

“I’m worried about the people who live in Caulfield. I’m worried about the legitimate distress that people see of the sieges in Gaza. It’s not about a particular electoral seat,” he said.