Union leader hits back at ‘outrageous’ ACTU statement

Union leader slams ACTU’s pro-Palestinian statement, claiming it ignored the role of Hamas terrorists in the Gaza tragedy.

ACTU secretary Sally McManus. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman

A union official has condemned ACTU chiefs Sally McManus and Michele O’Neil over the peak body’s pro-Palestinian statement, claiming it ignored the role of Hamas terrorists in the Gaza tragedy.

Jeff Lapidos, secretary of the taxation officers’ branch of the Australian Services Union, sent an email to the ACTU secretary and president rebutting a controversial pro-Palestinian statement issued on Monday.

Mr Lapidos, who is Jewish, said he sent the email in his capacity as a delegate to the ACTU congress in June, and described its statement as “absolutely outrageous”.

“They completely ignored the role Hamas has played in the tragedy in Gaza,” he told The Australian.

“It’s not just that Hamas wants the Jews out of Israel, they don’t want Israel at all. Hamas says that if they have the opportunity they will attack Israel again and again and again, until they have got them out of the land. The ACTU statement was absolutely outrageous.”

Mr Lapidos expressed “grave disappointment” at the ACTU statement and described it as a “misrepresentation of the facts”.

“Your assertion that over 33,000 Palestinian civilians have died in Gaza since October 7 closes the ACTU’s eyes to the fact that at least 10,000 of these were combatants for Hamas and Islamic Jihad,” he wrote.

“You imply that the dire circumstances facing the people of Gaza (are) the responsibility of Israel, when this is far from true.

“The leadership of Hamas continues to have the power to bring about an immediate ceasefire by releasing their hostages and surrendering their arms. Instead, Hamas continues to launch missiles at Israel and maintains it will again murder, mutilate and rape Israeli civilians whenever they can.”

Rockets fired by Palestinian militants from Gaza City are intercepted by the Israeli Iron Dome defence missile system in the early hours of October 8.

The Australian approached the ACTU to respond to Mr Lapidos’s criticism, but it did not respond on Tuesday.

The ACTU chose to release its strongest statement on the war in Gaza on the eve of the holy festival of Passover, calling on the Albanese government to end military trade with Israel, recognise a Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital, and inject a further $100m in aid to Gaza and the West Bank.

Mr Lapidos called on the ACTU leadership to condemn Hamas.

“Where is the ACTU condemnation of Hamas? Why haven’t you condemned its sexual violence against Israeli women and girls? Why are you parroting lines espoused by Hamas, Hezbollah, the Houthis and Iran? Death to Israel – of course,” he wrote.

“Your statement calls for a two-state solution with security of borders, but you do not acknowledge that the Palestinian leadership has always rejected such offers by Israel. You now want to reward Hamas atrocities with a state to continue their attacks on Israel.

“It’s time you both recognised what is really happening in the Middle East.

“It is time for you both, on behalf of the ACTU, to support the efforts of the governments of Israel and the US to build a new peace in the Middle East by working with the governments of Jordan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and others. Why isn’t the ACTU applauding these efforts and urging the Australian government to work with them?”

Executive Council of Australian Jewry co-CEO Peter Wertheim was scathing in his criticism of the ACTU’s announcement.

“The ACTU has dropped this shockingly misguided statement on us right on the eve of Passover when most Jewish families are preparing for the festival,’’ Mr Wertheim said.