"The Greens are to be commended for their new policy position on Palestine and Israel" said Nasser Mashni, President of the Australia Palestine Advocacy Network. "For too long Australian politics has been bogged down in the now defunct 'two state solution paradigm', it is well past time for Australian politics to speak to the facts on the ground. Israel is guilty of apartheid."
"Given the power imbalance between Israel and Palestinians there will only be movement towards a just peace when Israel is held accountable for its actions. This new policy is an important step in that process", said Mr Mashni.
"The Greens have really thrown down the gauntlet to the other major parties, as our polling before the 2022 election has shown Palestine is a vote winner. The Labor Party's long overdue recognition of Palestine is one way that the Labor Party can start to get back on track." said Mr Mashni.
Since 2020 an increasing number of international and Israeli human rights organisations have joined Palestinians in describing the regime of control of Palestinians as apartheid.
"When Israel's own preeminent human rights organisations, Yesh Din and B'Tselem along with Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch join former Israeli Attorney General, Michael Benyair, in describing the regime as apartheid we know it is time to elevate and listen to Palestinian voices on the situation in Palestine/Israel." said Mr Mashni.
Palestinians have endured 75 years of statelessness.
Every Palestinian, regardless of where they live, is impacted in some way by the apartheid practiced by Israel: from denial of the Palestinian inalienable right of return to their homes as enshrined by UN Resolution 194, through to its prejudiced "family reunification laws", the differing legal regimes practiced in the Palestinian West Bank and the brutal and ongoing 16 year siege in Gaza, once described by UK Prime Minister David Cameron as a "giant open air prison".
"Australian Palestinians and those who care about justice for Muslims, Jews and Christians in the Holy Land will be heartened by the truth-telling language in this policy document. This new Greens position marks it as one of the most progressive major parties in the Western world."
With over 750,000 Israeli settlers now living in illegal settlements who render a contiguous Palestinian state impossible, the affirmation by the Greens that they will work towards full equality before the law for every person, irrespective of ethnicity, religion, language, race, gender identity, class, disability, sexuality, or other social status meets the aspirations of the majority of Palestinians.
In a time of increasing xenophobia, islamophobia, and antisemitism it is also particularly heartening to see the Greens stand firm on not adopting the discredited IHRA definition of antisemitism, which conflates criticism of the State of Israel with antisemitism.
Key Facts:
Greens Policy shift praised by peak Australian body advocating for Palestinian Rights
About us:
The Australia Palestine Advocacy Group is the peak body in Australia for individuals and groups who advocate for Palestine.
