Bandt’s vacuous posturing on Middle East a disgrace

Greens leader Adam Bandt’s position sounds perfectly sensible (“ALP slowly going green over ­Israel”, 24/12). Who could argue with Bandt’s statement: “Our position is to support both Israelis’ and Palestinians’ rights to self-determination under international law and ensure there’s a just and lasting peace where they both have the security they’re entitled to.” However, this comment is based on Bandt’s vacuous misunderstanding of the causes of the conflict. His policy position is little more than meaningless foreign policy dribble.

Peter Tredenick, Laidley, Qld

The Albanese government wants it both ways on Israel. It has repeatedly tried to distance itself from the Greens’ anti-Israel position, while adopting policies that continually move closer to those of the Greens. None of this hypocrisy is lost on Jewish Australians, and when Labor supporters implore our community to vote for Labor’s Josh Burns in Macnamara in order to keep the Greens out, my reply is: what’s the difference?

At this time of year, I would like to thank The Australian for its principled reporting of the conflict in the Middle East, as well as all those decent non-Jewish Australians who have supported our community under siege from the rampant anti-Semitism this government has allowed to fester over the past 14 months.

Alan Freedman, St Kilda East, Vic

Adam Bandt claims the moral high ground calling for “an immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire a year ago”. That certainly qualifies him for the ­Neville Chamberlain award for appeasement and rewarding the aggressor.

Alan Slade, Dover Heights, NSW

It really is a bad look when you ­receive praise from those who encourage hatred, support the actions of terrorists and demonise our longstanding ally and friend. The Palestinian Authority is regarded as corrupt and continues in power with no elections 18 years after an election for a four-year term. Thousands of terrorists in prison, including hundreds who carried out the October 7 attack, and the families of killed terrorists are paid “salaries” by the PA. This is the organisation whose representatives praised “with deep appreciation the positive trajectory of the Australian government” following Australia’s recent votes at the United Nations. Now Adam Bandt, the leader of the Greens, has proudly declared “Labor is being forced to admit the Greens were right all along. Labor is now slowly moving towards our position” on the conflict in Gaza.

Alex Selby, Double Bay, NSW

The Middle East’s only liberal, pluralist democracy is defending itself after the worst attack on Jews and loss of lives since the Holocaust, but Adam Bandt calls Benjamin Netanyahu’s government “extremist”. Please. As Peter Dutton reminded us, Bandt refuses to stand in front of our Australian flag.

Indeed of the three federal political leaders, Dutton, Bandt and Anthony Albanese, it is only Dutton whose support for Israel has been unequivocal and whose moral clarity has been crystal clear. While Bandt, Albanese and Penny Wong have engaged in contemptible transactional politics – compromising Australia’s support for Israel as they try to boost the Muslim vote in crucial seats – Dutton boarded a plane to Israel to pay his respects at two sites of the Hamas terrorist attacks, Kibbutz Be’eri and the Nova music festival.

Mandy Macmillan, Singleton, NSW

The Australian’s coverage on the politics of the Israel-Palestine conflict is fair. But I must take issue with the government spokeswoman who described the Greens as being “wildly out of touch” with the international community. That community is not just the US. The Greens’ position on Palestine – end the occupation, and work for peace, coexistence and security – is supported by a clear majority of the UN, including much of Europe, as well as major NGOs and the International Court. Further, the government’s spokeswoman’s assertion that the “Greens’ actions undermine social cohesion”, and Penny Wong’s too-neat observation that the government’s opponents just seek to “convert global uncertainty into domestic anxiety”, fly in the face of major parties falling over each other to turn anti-Semitic violence into opportunities for electoral grandstanding.

Ken Blackman, Inverloch, Vic