Star Labor candidate Melissa Parke quits over Israel claims

Melissa Parke has quit after outraging Jewish leaders by liken­ing Israel’s settlements to China’s activity in the South China Sea.

Labor’s Melissa Parke, who stepped down last night as the candidate for Curtin following comments described as ‘extreme examples of anti-­Israel rhetoric’. Picture: AAP

The star candidate Labor hoped would create havoc for the ­Coalition in Julie Bishop’s blue-ribbon seat of Curtin has quit after outraging Jewish leaders by liken­ing Israel’s settlements to China’s activity in the South China Sea.

Former Rudd government minister Melissa Parke was Labor’s big surprise in the Perth seat being vacated by Ms Bishop and being contested for the Liberals­ by former Notre Dame University chief Celia Hammond.

Ms Parke reportedly told a meeting of WA Labor for Palestine that Australia should recognise a Palestinian state and likened Israel­’s settlements to China’s activity in the South China Sea.

She did not resile on Thursday, tweeting: “It is not anti-Semitic to protest injustice and to support the international rule of law & non-discrimination. I believe in two ­secure states, Israel and Palestine, living side by side in peace.”

However, Labor is understood to have entered crisis talks as it emerged that a newspaper was preparing to report she had alleged at the meeting that she could “rememb­er vividly” the case of a pregnant Palestinian refugee who was ordered at a checkpoint in Gaza to drink bleach.

Ms Parke reportedly told the meeting at the Perth headquarters of union United Voice that the bleach “burned out her throat and insides”.

Ms Parke reportedly also warned the audience that Israel’s “influence in our political system and foreign policy is substantial”.

Australia/Israel & Jewish ­Affairs Council executive director Colin Rubenstein said: “The comments by preselected ALP candid­ate Melissa Parke are among the most extreme examples of anti-­Israel rhetoric ever voiced in ­Australia.

“Ms Parke’s comments, coming straight out of the talking points from the worst Israel haters, bring discredit to both her and the party she was representing.

So we welcome the fact that, ­realising this, Labor’s leadership has distanced the party from Ms Parke’s outrageous, inflammatory claims, and that she has now withdrawn her candidacy.”

Last night Ms Parke released a statement in which she said: “My views are well known, but I don’t want them to be a running distraction from electing a Labor government. That’s why I have decided to withdraw my candidacy.”

Ms Parke was not expected to win Curtin but her candidacy was expected to force the Liberals to pour resources into the fight.