Jewish leaders slam Zoe Daniel over ‘ill-informed’ comments

The criticism of MP Zoe Daniel’s comments came as worshippers gathered for a Shabbat service at Central Shule in Melbourne, a week after it was a protest target.

Independent MP Zoe Daniel. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gary Ramage

Jewish leaders have condemned as “ill-informed and inflammatory” comments from independent “teal” MP Zoe Daniel that Israel cannot “bomb” its “way to peace”.

The condemnation came as hundreds of worshippers and community members congregated at Caulfield South’s Central Shule on Friday night for a gathering of “love, song, prayer and positivity”.

The Shabbat service followed last week’s violent clashes outside the synagogue after anti-Israel protesters decided to hold a demonstration in the Jewish heart of Melbourne.

Ms Daniel made her comments in an ABC Radio National interview on Friday morning, which followed a Matter of Public Importance speech in parliament on Thursday evening, in which she appealed for “social cohesion rather than opportunistic ­attempts to divide and inflame ­directly affected communities”, in a dig at Peter Dutton.

In Friday’s interview she said Israel “has to adhere to inter­national law and the rules of war”.

“I think in some ways (the Israeli government) has not been. If they’ve been targeting hospitals … if that’s what’s happened, it’s a war crime. Pure and simple,” the Goldstein, Melbourne, MP said.

“Not allowing humanitarian supplies in, again, doesn’t adhere to international law and you’ve heard the government say repeatedly ‘Israel has a right to defend itself, but the way it does it has to be very careful,’ and I agree with that.” She added: “You can’t bomb your way to peace.”

Ms Daniel also said politicians had to be “aware” of their words, as tensions and anti-Semitism continue to rise across Australia.

“I think that we have to be really aware of every word that comes out of our mouths, not only in that chamber but in the public arena that has consequences,” she said.

Australia/Israel & Jewish Affairs Council executive director Colin Rubenstein.

Australia/Israel & Jewish Affairs Council executive director Colin Rubenstein said her comments were “ill-informed and inflammatory”.

“As Ms Daniel herself said, Australian politicians should ‘be really aware of every word that comes out of our mouths’ at the moment. She needs to take her own advice,” he said.

“Ms Daniel needs to better educate herself about both International Humanitarian Law and the situation in Gaza. Israel is of course allowing in humanitarian supplies, with around 100 trucks a day coming in from Egypt, and is promising to allow in as many as the UN can arrange. It has also instituted daily humanitarian pauses, and made an exception to the fuel embargo to ensure relief trucks can continue to operate.

“Meanwhile, International Humanitarian Law is very clear that hospitals cease to have total protected status if used for military purposes – and Israel has provided ample evidence Hamas is doing that in Gaza’s hospitals. A combatant is still required to provide warnings and minimise harm to doctors and patients before taking action within hospitals – and Israel is doing both those things.”

Zionist Federation of Australia president Jeremy Leibler said: “If Western governments take a position that when terrorist organisations like Hamas use civilians as human shields, including in hospitals – that it gives those organisations immunity – we will in effect incentivise terrorist organisations to continue to engage in such barbaric behaviour.”