ALP needs balance over Gaza

The creation of a Labor Friends of Israel group by former minister for defence material Michael Kelly and former NSW treasurer Eric Roozendaal should help in encouraging more coherent, consistent support within Labor for Israel in its existential battle against Iran’s terrorist proxy, Hamas. Australia’s 100,000-strong Jewish community has traditionally enjoyed good relations with both sides of politics and was once seen as slightly favouring Labor. But since Hamas’s barbaric attack on Israeli civilians on October 7, a widening split has opened up within the Albanese government.

In the weeks after the attack, Industry Minister Ed Husic and Early Childhood Education Minister Anne Aly referred to Israel “collectively punishing” 2.3 million Gaza residents for the terrorists’ actions. Dr Kelly, who served as an officer in the Australian Army for 20 years from 1987 to 2007, including on active service in Somalia, East Timor and Iraq, holds a PhD in complex peace operations. The purpose of the Friends group, he said, was to provide “salient facts” on the conflict in response to the volume of “inaccurate and ill-informed” commentary. Pro-Palestine chants such as “from the river to the sea, Palestine will be free”, as Dr Kelly rightly told The Australian, underscored “ignorance and unwitting support for Hamas”. “From the river to the sea,” he said, “clearly signifies an intention to destroy Israel and with the corollary that 7-8 million Jews that live there will also die.’’

At the opposite end of the Labor spectrum, a group of 50 high-profile party figures, including former NSW premier and foreign minister Bob Carr, have signed an open letter saying the human rights of Palestinians have been “grossly violated’’. “The occupation by Israel of the West Bank and Gaza, since 1967, continues to involve military occupation” that involved “illegal settlement expansion, land theft, violence, discrimination, restrictions on movement and the subjugation of the Palestinian people”, the letter claimed. “The situation is intolerable and to the shame of the international community.”

The new group’s website challenges Mr Carr directly, quoting Nick Dyrenfurth, executive director of the John Curtin Research Centre, posing the question: “When is the last time you heard the likes of Bob Carr support Palestinian self-determination – and rightly so – by lamenting the genocidal charter and terrorism of the rulers of Gaza, Hamas?”

The Albanese government, in trying to walk both sides of Labor’s political street, has been giving out confusing messages. While condemning anti-Semitic protests, it has been too slow in sending Foreign Minister Penny Wong to Israel after the October 7 atrocity. That mistake allowed her opposition counterpart, Simon Birmingham, to step into the breach, leading an all-party delegation. In supporting last week’s UN General Assembly vote on a Gaza ceasefire – a resolution that did not mention Hamas – the government was out of step with the US and seemingly at odds with our nation’s long, close friendship with Israel. And in rejecting the US’s request to send a ship to help protect shipping in the Red Sea against Iran-backed Houthi rebels, it jeopardised Australia’s standing as a reliable ally.

The new group shares the name of its British counterpart, Labour Friends of Israel, which has repaired much of the anti-Semitic damage wrought by the party’s tomato-left former leader Jeremy Corbyn. Labor Friends of Israel will restore much-needed balance on that side of politics in Australia.