Labor told to block pro-Palestinian plane hijacker from socialist conference

Senior cabinet ministers are being urged to step in over a militant who took part in two plane hijackings from appearing at a socialist conference.

Pro-Palestinian rally marches through the streets of Melbourne. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Luis Enrique Ascui

Prominent Jewish leaders are urging senior cabinet ministers in the Albanese government to intervene to prevent a pro-Palestinian militant who took part in two plane hijackings from appearing at a socialist conference scheduled to be held in Perth this year.

In a letter addressed to Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus, Home Affairs Minister Clare O’Neil and Immigration Minister Andrew Giles, the Executive Council of Australian Jewry urged the government to deny Leila Khaled an Australian visa warning she must not be allowed to travel to Australia or appear virtually at the event.

The event is being organised by Green Left and are billing the conference, Ecosocialism 2024, as an “invaluable opportunity to share experiences in building struggles with activists from around the Indian Ocean”.

Leila Khaled.

According to the event’s website, attendees are encouraged to “discuss how we can collectively campaign against war and climate catastrophe”.

Ms Khaled has been promoted by event organisers as a “iconic Palestinian revolutionary activist” and a “national committee member of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), a socialist organisation that advocates for the creation of a democratic, secular Palestine.”

However, Ms Khaled has been involved in a series of plane hijackings including a 1969 flight from Rome to Tel Aviv which was believed to be carrying Yitzhak Rabin, then Israeli ambassador to the US.

No one was killed but two hostages were held for at least two months.

Ms Khaled was then involved in the Dawson’s Field hijackings the following year, which targeted four planes bound for New York City and one for London.

In an interview with Green Left last week, Ms Khaled said Hamas terrorists responsible for the October 7 attacks on Israel were “freedom fighters” who had a right to defend themselves “from occupation and the siege of Gaza”.

The letter, co-signed by president Daniel Aghion, Peter Wertheim and Alex Ryvchin, argues Ms Khaled should not pass the character test given she “remains a member of the national committee of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), an organisation which is listed under Australian sanctions laws,”

“It is reasonable to suspect that she does not pass the character test, as defined in ss. 501(6), and that refusing her a visa would be in the national interest,” they wrote.

Leila Khaled Leila Khaled is a Palestinian refugee, former militant, and member of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), convicted hijacker. Photo: Supplied

A government spokeswoman said Labor was aware of the case and noted that anti-terrorism laws still applied even if a person appeared online rather than in person in Australia. The spokeswoman also made reference to recent laws passed last month which made glorifying or praising acts of terrorism a criminal offence.

The Jewish leaders have also called for Ms Khaled to be blocked from appearing virtually warning it would be damaging for social cohesion.

“Given her criminal background and current associations, her appearance, actual or virtual, would be likely to have the effect of inciting, promoting or advocating terrorism to an Australian audience, to aggravate current social divisions and thus cause damage to social cohesion,” they wrote.

The Coalition has urged Labor to immediately rule out granting Ms Khaled a visa amid concern she is a prominent member of a terrorist organisation.

Opposition home affairs spokesman James Paterson said Ms Khaled should not be able to set foot on Australian soil under any circumstances.

“Leila Khaled was convicted and jailed for a hijacking a plane and is a prominent member of a terrorist organisation,” Senator Paterson said.

“Under no circumstances should she be allowed to set foot on Australian soil. The Albanese government must rule out granting her a visa today.”

Ms Khaled, who is 79 years old, was refused entry to Rome and was forced to return to Amman, Jordan given she was a member of a group considered terrorist by the Italian government.