‘Culpability of Hamas terrorists forgotten by ALP’, says Peter Dutton

Peter Dutton has called for Foreign Minister Penny Wong to be sacked if she restarts funding to the Palestinian aid organisation UNRWA.

Opposition Leader Peter Dutton hit out against suggestions Australian aid to UNRWA could soon be unfrozen. Picture: David Crosling

Israel’s ambassador to Australia Amir Maimon has lashed the government for “forgetting” the culpability of Hamas, as Foreign Minister Penny Wong signalled the government was potentially looking to restart funding to the UNRWA aid organisation – a group facing allegations that some of its staff are linked to the terror group.

Australia and 10 other countries paused funding to the ­United Nations Relief Works Agency after the organisation announced it had sacked nine staff accused by Israel of participating in the October 7 terror attacks.

Israeli intelligence also said one in 10 UNRWA staff had links to militants.

But Senator Wong said this week it was critical a resolution was reached and aid to UNRWA potentially restarted, given the agency was “the only organisation which delivers the assistance and substantive support within the international system” to Palestinians.

In a series of social media posts, Mr Maimon said he was concerned by remarks of government officials. “Listening to the most recent remarks by Australian officials, it seems that Hamas’s culpability has been forgotten – along with the fate of tens of thousands of displaced Israelis and the starvation of ­Israeli hostages in Gaza,” he said.

Opposition Leader Peter Dutton also hit out against suggestions Australian aid to UNRWA could soon be unfrozen and said it would not be ­appropriate for taxpayer money to be given to a “terrorist organisation” or people who would misuse the funds.

“If the Foreign Minister is ­directing Australian taxpayers’ money to an organisation known to be a front or affiliated or associated with a terrorist organisation, her job is completely untenable,” he said. “If Penny Wong is now advocating (for funds to restart), knowing that this money is going to an organisation not fit-for-purpose, if that is her argument, then the Prime Minister should sack her.”

But a spokeswoman for Senator Wong said the minister had acted appropriately and Mr Dutton was making false claims.

Foreign Minister Penny Wong. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman

“The minister has acted ­entirely within the law. The government has received legal advice on this,” she said. “Our focus is the dire humanitarian situation and what Australia can do to help. Mr Dutton is focused on making false and exaggerated claims for a cheap political hit.”

In a call with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Friday, Senator Wong and her counterpart discussed “the importance of humanitarian aid reaching those in need in Gaza”.

“The leaders also stressed the need to protect civilian lives in Gaza and called for Hamas to immediately release all hostages,” a US embassy release stated.

Labor is under pressure from the Greens and Australian aid ­organisations to restart the funding immediately, with some advocates saying the accusations that staff were embroiled in terrorist acts related to only a handful of individuals from UNRWA’s 13,000-strong workforce.

In an letter from the Australian Council For International Development – and signed by Oxfam Australia, Plan International, ActionAid Australia and Caritas Australia – Labor was urged to reconsider its pause.

“Palestinian civilians in Gaza are already facing starvation, famine and outbreaks of disease. Without the critical support of UNRWA, the appalling humanitarian situation will continue ­deteriorating,” ACFID chief executive Marc Purcell said.

“It is imperative the Australian government considers the allegations against a small number of the agency’s 13,000 employees in the context of the catastrophic consequences of withholding life-saving aid.”