Jewish body lashes out at former Minister Ed Husic’s pressuring for sanctions on Israel

The head of Australia’s peak Jewish body has fired back at former federal minister Ed Husic after he called for the government to haul in the Israeli ambassador over the Gaza conflict.

Australia’s peak Jewish body has slammed a former minister’s call for the federal government to haul in the Israeli ambassador over the Gaza conflict.

Executive Council of Australian Jewry co-chief executive Alex Ryvchin took aim at dumped Minister Ed Husic’s call for sanctions to be considered on Israel, as international unrest grows over ongoing military action in the region.

“Mr Husic has sharply and consistently criticised Israel’s military response to the October 7 atrocities even in the opening months of the war when over 100 trucks full of aid were entering the war zone each day,” Mr Ryvchin said.

“He has also failed to offer a solution to Hamas hijacking aid and extorting Gazans to finance its terrorism, which has led to mass protests.”

Mr Ryvchin said it was “easy to talk about sanctioning Israel and hauling in the ambassador” to the country.

Former Labor cabinet minister Ed Husic on the ABC earlier this month. Picture: ABC.

“What is difficult is offering constructive alternatives that would see Hamas disarmed and defeated so that the people of Gaza and Israel can be free of its terror and despotism,” he said.

Mr Husic said his record “shows I have consistently called for the release of hostages and for Hamas to be held to account for its horrific actions”.

“From October 2023 I’ve also called for us to acknowledge humanity of both sides and do what is needed to protect innocent life,” he said.

“If Mr Ryvchin agrees we should acknowledge the humanity of all innocent life, he too would call for the freeing up of aid to protect the lives of children, suffering in their tens of thousands.”

Mr Husic added the conflict “should not be made into a fight between Israeli and Palestinian people” and innocents shouldn’t “be blamed or made to pay the price for either the actions of Hamas terrorists or the response of the Netanyahu Government”.

Executive Council of Australian Jewry Co-CEO Alex Ryvchin. Picture: Jonathan Ng

Mr Husic, the first cabinet minister of Muslim faith, on Tuesday morning welcomed Mr Albanese’s sharpest comments yet criticising Israel for their action in Gaza, telling the ABC “we should be ready to move” if the UK, France and Canada follow through with sanctions on Israel, which they have threatened.

The former industry and science minister, who lost his role amid factional jostling following Labor’s landslide election win, also said it was time for the government to “move beyond words”, recommending actions such as “calling in the Israeli ambassador to stress that Australia … expects that humanitarian aid, particularly medical supplies, be delivered”.

Mr Albanese on Monday said it was “outrageous” that food and supplies into Gaza had been blockaded by Israel.

The intensifying pressure comes after rescuers said on Monday 52 Gazans had been killed in military strikes in the war-battered strip.

Originally published as Jewish body lashes out at former Minister Ed Husic’s pressuring for sanctions on Israel