The Labor Party's national conference in Adelaide is set to be a heated debate on Israel and Palestine, with former cabinet minister Ed Husic pushing for a resolution that references claims of genocide and apartheid against Israel. This move comes as peak Jewish groups are already furious at the party for dropping wording calling for the listed terror group Hamas to disarm, and reform of the Palestinian Authority. The resolution introduced by Husic references a United Nations inquiry that determined Israeli authorities and security forces have deliberately targeted Palestinian children, resulting in genocide and atrocity crimes in the Gaza Strip and war crimes in the West Bank. It also acknowledges a 2024 International Court of Justice advisory opinion that Israel was committing apartheid in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. If adopted, the resolution would sit in an addendum to the official policy platform document. The left-wing Maritime Union of Australia is expected to second his resolution. The resolution calls for Labor to withdraw defense and trade representatives from Australia’s embassy in Tel Aviv and for authorities to “track, investigate and, where appropriate prosecute” dual nationals returning to Australia who have breached international law serving in the Israeli Defence Forces. It also supports trade sanctions connected to “illegal settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories”. Meanwhile, it calls for the government to move quickly to exchange ambassadors and consolidate full diplomatic ties with Palestine after last year’s recognition of Palestinian statehood. The current wording to the draft platform agreed by factional heavyweights calls out settler violence in the West Bank, condemns a controversial new death penalty law and backs two international courts considering genocide and war crimes charges against Israel. The draft platform condemns the use of violence, including by Hamas, but omits an explicit reference contained in earlier versions that “Hamas must disarm and can have no role in the State of Palestine”. An earlier draft also said that Labor “will continue to work with the international community to hold the Palestinian Authority to its commitments and to encourage normalised relations between Israel and its neighbours”. The Australia Palestine Advocacy Network is calling for Labor to back a ban of military trade with Israel and for the Future Fund to divest from companies operating in Israel the group says are complicit in war crimes. The right-wing SDA union has put forward a rival motion seeking to take a harder position against Hamas. The resolution introduced by Husic has sparked a heated debate, with several Labor figures trying to talk him out of his plan on Friday afternoon. However, he was intent on provoking a debate and encouraging defections from left-faction delegates who agree with the substance of his resolution. Husic, a fierce critic of Israel’s conduct in the war in Gaza, told the ABC: “I don’t want people going to fight for Hamas. I certainly don’t want people to go and fight with the IDF. I think Australians should stay out of that theatre.” In a lengthy statement issued ahead of the conference, Husic said he thought it was inappropriate for the Israeli embassy to call for the draft platform to be changed. “I could never imagine Australian government through our embassy or our officials issuing such public commentary in that way,” he said. The Executive Council of Australian Jewry co-chief executive Peter Wertheim said: “Failing to hold the Palestinian Authority accountable for its bad faith and perennial incompetence is not doing the Palestinian people any favours. It’s holding them back.” The Australia Palestine Advocacy Network's executive officer Katie Shammas said: “Labor can do the right thing at this conference if they listen to their conscience by calling out the genocide and ending defence exports.” This article highlights the complex and contentious nature of the debate on Israel and Palestine within the Labor Party, with Husic's resolution pushing for a stronger line on criticism of Israel. The outcome of this debate will have significant implications for the party's stance on the conflict and its relationship with both the Israeli and Palestinian communities.
