Australia has defied trenchant pressure by America and Israel to recognise Palestine today but more needs to be done to fight against Israel’s genocide. Michael West reports.
Israel forced nurses to deliver a baby by emergency C-Section today from a beheaded mother … a beheaded mother. The atrocities by Israel are unending.
Australia’s government speaks of protecting humanitarian workers, yet when more humanitarian workers than ever are killed in Gaza its record on international law, and accountability tells a different story.
Today Penny Wong announced a global declaration, joined by over 100 countries, to implement concrete measures safeguarding humanitarian workers in conflict and disaster zones.
“Humanitarian workers save lives. This work should never cost them their own,” she said. “Together with our international partners we are reinvigorating commitment at the highest political level to protect aid workers in conflict zones.”
The statement implies a nation committed to multilateralism and the rules-based order, yet over the past almost two years Australia has consistently undermined both by refusing to enforce international law at home, failing to challenge grave violations abroad, and narrowing debate over Israel domestically.
While Israel’s PM Benjamin Netanyahu fulminated over the decision by UK, Canada, France, and Australia to recognise Palestine, the US even made threats, warning it could move against Australia with “punitive action” in retaliation.
The US even voted *against* a ceasefire in the UN Security Council last week in support of the rogue government of Netanyahu. For his part and further in Israel’s constant and flagrant breaches of international law, the Israeli PM has sworn “there will be NO Palestinian state”.
Baby steps
To lend credit to the Albanese government, its policy towards Israel is moving in the right direction, albeit slowly and with tiny steps. And Penny Wong’s announcement today is further evidence.
The war on Gaza has created the deadliest conditions for humanitarian workers in modern history. In 2024, 383 humanitarian staff were killed globally, over half in Gaza along. Of the 168 United Nations personnel killed worldwide last year, 126 were in Gaza, the highest death of UN aid workers in UN History. No other state is murdering humanitarian workers on this scale. Israel is the largest killer of humanitarian workers in the world.
UN Commission puts world on notice – Israel is committing genocide in Gaza
Yet the Australian government has avoided measures that might make a difference. The Franki report into alleged breaches of humanitarian law has never been released. In international forums, Canberra abstained from UN resolutions calling for a ceasefire.
When sanctions were imposed on staff of the International Criminal Court, Australia declined to sign the joint statement of support issued by other states, undermining the very body tasked with investigating crimes against humanity.
At the same time, the government has permitted the export of weapons components and allowed the Future Fund to continue investments linked to the conflict. The government has also remained silent as important multilateral institutions such as the United Nations face defunding crises to the point of breaking point. These choices systematically erode the structures of accountability on which humanitarian workers depend.
Domestically, debate on Israel has been narrowed to the point of censorship. Activists demanding stronger measures are stigmatised, and criticism of Israel is frequently treated as near-on criminal. This suppression of discussion not only silences dissent but removes the political conditions necessary for genuine accountability on the greatest number of deaths of humanitarian workers today.
Australia also refuses to use its leverage with partners. The United States and United Kingdom retain decisive influence over Israel, yet Australia has not pressed them to act.
The consequences are clear. States start wars, states stop wars, and states bear responsibility when humanitarian workers are murdered. Until Australia confronts this reality and holds Israel to account, its declarations of support will remain empty promises. Words cost nothing. What is needed is action. Sanctions would be a start.
While Anthony Albanese arrived in the US yesterday for meetings, the Murdoch press, the Israel lobby in Australia and the Opposition were hyperventilating about the Palestine move, the tabloids dubbing it “A reward for Evil”.
The decision is unlikely to smooth the PM’s trip. But words and international agreements will have little effect on the rogue state of Israel. What would have more effect are sanctions against weapon sales, suspending diplomatic ties and actually just enforcing international law.
Same deal for the private sector. Australia’s super funds have dumped millions of us unwittingly into Israel shares which profit from genocide – and the total lack of leadership in the investment sector puts us all at risk of financing genocide, not to mention Palestinians being massacred daily.
Hot potato: AusSuper, ASFA, ACSI duck for cover on war crimes super
Michael West established Michael West Media in 2016 to focus on journalism of high public interest, particularly the rising power of corporations over democracy. West was formerly a journalist and editor with Fairfax newspapers, a columnist for News Corp and even, once, a stockbroker.