The Greens are calling on the Albanese Government to implement a sanctions regime against Israel based on Russian sanctions to force Israel to let aid into Gaza, stop the occupation of the West Bank and end the genocide.
The Greens today have updated its call on the Albanese Government to end the two-way arms trade and sanction Israel. The new call seeks to implement comparable sanctions to those applied to exports and imports from Russia and expand individual sanctions to those imposed by the US, UK, Canada and European Union.
Exporting goods like aluminium, aircraft parts, and luxury goods to a country that is actively engaging in war crimes was prohibited in the case of Russia and should be prohibited now for Israel. The Greens, by comparing the Russian sanction regime to UN trade data, estimate this would impact some $50 million annually in direct exports to Israel, including the prohibition on trading 'arms or related matériel'.
Australia has also imposed some 1,400 sanctions on individuals and entities in Russia, while there are only a dozen concerning Israel. Australia has also failed to match sanctions in 17 instances where the US, Canada and the European Union have implemented sanctions on Israeli individuals and entities.
The Albanese Government has also failed to sanction the Israeli Security Cabinet, which is responsible for carrying out the genocide in Gaza and the illegal occupation of the West Bank.
The Albanese Government set the yardstick for how to respond to the Government's illegal occupation and invasion of other countries through its response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The Albanese Government must now apply this standard to Israel.
International legal experts have made clear that even with these sanctions, more will likely need to be done to meet Australia's obligations under international law.
Senator David Shoebridge, Greens spokesperson on Foreign Affairs, said: "For too long, the Albanese Government has refused to act, and placed no pressure on the Israeli Government to end the genocide.
"We know what action looks like, we have seen it done before. We need to see it again. There is mass starvation in Gaza, and thousands of children are hours away from death. Inaction was never an option; it is not now."
"It is good that after two years of denial, the Albanese government is now acknowledging the horror occurring in front of our eyes. The Prime Minister must now impose sanctions, follow the words with action and end the two-way arms trade.
"The Albanese Government's position that there is nothing it can do to put pressure on the Israeli Government is a weak attempt to distract the public from its complicity.
"The Albanese Government will claim they are waiting for other countries to act so they can follow, but the Albanese Government has failed to impose sanctions on Israel to the level of other countries.
"Despite the spin from the Albanese Government, it is not in dispute that the Government has allowed weapons and weapon parts from Australia to be sent to Israel. Parts of the F-35 fighter jet were exported this month, and the Canberra-made R400 remote weapon system was used in Israel early this year.
"We stopped the arms trade with Russia. We can do the same with Israel," Senator Shoebridge said.
