Labor MP breaks ranks to table BDS petition against ‘apartheid’ Israel

LABOR leaders have distanced themselves from MP Melissa Parke after she called on Australia to support BDS against Israel.

LABOR leaders have distanced themselves from Fremantle MP Melissa Parke after she broke ranks with party policy and called on Australia to support the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement against “apartheid” ­Israel and quoted a 9/11 “truther” to back her stand.

“BDS is a perfectly acceptable form of protest,” the former UN lawyer told parliament in a speech she admitted would “likely not be popular”, tabling a petition urging Australia to join the movement.

Ms Parke quoted former UN special rapporteur for the occupied territories, Richard Falk, who was rebuked by UN secretary-general Ban Ki-moon in 2011 for “preposterous” remarks asking if the September 11 terror attacks had been orchestrated by the US government in defence of BDS.

Her stand was immediately rejected by the Opposition Leader. “Labor’s position on this matter is clear,” Bill Shorten’s spokesman said, pointing to a speech earlier this year when Mr Shorten said: “I stand for engagement with Israel at every level.”

A spokesman for deputy leader Tanya Plibersek, who is overseas, said any suggestion the US government was involved in 9/11 was “utterly abhorrent”.

A spokesman for Ms Parke said she was unaware of Professor Falk’s 9-11 comments “but believes that his comments on the legitimacy of peaceful protest in the context of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict are relevant”.

Jewish community figures hit out back yesterday.

“Bill Shorten needs to pull Melissa Parke firmly into line with ALP policy,’’ Executive Council of Australian Jewry executive director Peter Wertheim said.