Mark Butler uses October 7 to drop Labor restraint on Israel
One of Anthony Albanese’s key factional backers, Mark Butler, has delivered Labor’s strongest defence of Israel, endorsing its right to strike back and warning that Australian Jews are facing anti-Semitism on a scale never seen before.
One of Anthony Albanese’s key factional backers, Mark Butler, has delivered Labor’s strongest defence of Israel since Hamas’s October 7 massacre, endorsing its right to strike back at its enemies and warning that Australian Jews are facing anti-Semitism on a scale never seen before.
After months of mixed messages from the government, the cabinet minister told Sydney’s Jewish community on the anniversary of the slaughter of 1200 Israelis that “no self-respecting nation would fail to defend itself if attacked the way Israel has been”.
As the Prime Minister and Peter Dutton marked the worst loss of Jewish life since the Holocaust at solemn memorial services, Greens leader Adam Bandt accused the Netanyahu government of “genocide” and warned Australia was “complicit in this appalling conflict”.
Mr Bandt’s comments came as Lebanese terrorist group Hezbollah praised anti-Israel rallies across Australia in recent days, declaring on its Telegram channel: “From Australia to the world: Stop the ‘Israeli’ aggression on Lebanon.”
Amid commemorations around the world, Hamas used the October 7 anniversary to launch a barrage of rockets at Tel Aviv. As the war expands to Lebanon and the Israeli government mulls over its response to a foiled attack from Iran last week, both Hamas and Hezbollah celebrated last year’s massacre and vowed to defeat the Jewish state.
The Coalition, which has accused Labor of failing to back Israel in its darkest hour, vowed to press the government on its “drift away” from bipartisan support for the Jewish state when parliament returned on Tuesday.
On Monday night, Mr Butler reinforced Labor’s weekend shift in language in which Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles backed Israel’s right to retaliate against Iran for its missile strikes on the country last week.
“Of course, Israel has the right to defend itself and respond to these attacks,” he told a Jewish community vigil in Vaucluse. “As (US) President (Joe) Biden has said, a military response should be proportionate.”
The Health Minister and key Left-faction boss said the attacks on Israel by those bent on its destruction had inflamed the world’s oldest prejudice, anti-Semitism, which was “growing and spreading here in a way we’ve never seen before, in a way that is simply unique – in its scale and its character”.
While the government has warned of rising anti-Semitism and Islamophobia following the Hamas attack, Mr Butler said prejudice against Jews since October 7 last year was causing “deep pain and fear” that was not being felt by other Australians.
“Only Jewish parents have to watch their children walk into schools surrounded by security fences and guards,” Mr Butler said. “Only Jewish aged care facilities – subjected to threats and vandalism since October 7 – have had to hire security guards on police advice.
“Older Jewish Australians – including Holocaust survivors – spending their final months on this Earth under guard.”
The Opposition Leader told the same memorial service that the October 7 massacre of Jews had eerie parallels to the Holocaust, and should inspire Australians “to argue for right over wrong; to stand up for democracy over tyranny”.
He said the attack had heralded the “most shocking period for our country in my lifetime”, attacking those who marched “with flags and black hearts to celebrate the first anniversary of 1200 people being slaughtered, raped, brutalised and held captive”.
“We would not tolerate such racism and discrimination toward any other section of society. Why are we being told it is acceptable against Jewish Australians?” Mr Dutton said “And I say to my fellow Australians: now is the time to take an interest in this issue and now is a time to stand against anti-Semitism. Now is a time to stare down the hatred and to rebuild harmony.”
Amid an outpouring of support for Israel, former prime minister John Howard accused Mr Albanese – who attended a Melbourne memorial service but did not make a speech – of a “failure of leadership” in his response to the attack on Israel. “The anniversary of this terrible event is a time to condemn the failure of the Prime Minister to show leadership on this issue,” Mr Howard said. “More importantly it is a time to strengthen our opposition to anti-Semitism and further extend the hand of Australian mateship to Jewish Australians among us.”
Earlier, former prime minister Tony Abbott blasted Australian and Western leaders who were “on the wrong side of this fight between good and evil”, and backed a potential Israeli strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities.
MPs from across politics – including Foreign Minister Penny Wong and Defence Minister Richard Marles – gathered at the Israeli embassy in Canberra to commemorate the anniversary. Labor MP and Parliamentary Friends of Israel group chair Deborah O’Neill addressed the crowd, condemning the spread of anti-Semitism and describing Israel as a “miracle”.
“I am struck by how different our experience is to those living in Israel, forced to mark this day under ongoing uncertainty and threat, surrounded by those who would seek the destruction and the erasure of the state of Israel and its people,” Ms O’Neill said.
In Israel, mourners gathered at services across the country as the Jewish state intensified its attacks in Gaza and Lebanon, and worked with the US on planned retaliatory strikes against Iran. President Isaac Herzog, who attended a commemoration at the site of the Nova music festival massacre, said the October 7 attack was a “scar on the face of the Earth”.
“Blessed be those who fell, who were murdered and killed here,” he said. “Young people who came to celebrate and enjoy dance and music – to live a real life of young people as any young person should be entitled to. Let us remember them forever.”
Families of the 101 hostages still believed to be held by Hamas in Gaza sounded a siren outside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s resident in Jerusalem, urging a ceasefire deal to allow their loved ones to come home.
The Australian Federation of Islamic Councils marked the “tragic events” of a year ago remembering the innocent lives lost and acknowledging the “deep, ongoing pain” resonating through both Palestinian and Jewish communities. “This day reminds us of the harsh realities of conflict, which does not discriminate in its impact. From Jewish to Muslim families, the grief caused by this violence is universal,” AFIC president Rateb Jneid said.
The Australian understands cabinet ministers Chris Bowen and Jason Clare, whose western Sydney electorates of McMahon and Blaxland have large Muslim populations, were in Canberra on Monday preparing for the parliamentary sitting week and did not attend October 7 events.
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