The Albanese Government's two-way arms trade with Israel is failing to meet the basic requirements of either morality or international law.
Denials by the Albanese Government that the arms trade with Israel even exists are clearly a weak attempt to mislead the public to avoid taking material action.
Australia, like all nations, is obliged to act to prevent genocide and war crimes. This includes ending the export of armoured steel, critical materials and F-35 weapons parts to Israel's weapons industry and military.
Germany has now become the latest in a series of countries that include the UK, Canada, Spain, Italy, Brazil, the Netherlands and many more, that have either completely or partially ended their arms trade with Israel. Australia now stands alone with Donald Trump's US in not taking action.
Right now the clear obligation on Australia means it must cease assisting Israel's indiscriminate and disproportionate use of force and mass starvation in its unlawful assault on Gaza.
Greens Senator and Defence and Foreign Affairs Spokesperson, David Shoebridge, said:
"Watching Defence Minister Richard Marles refuse to answer basic questions about Australia's export of weapons parts and defence material to Israel is excruciating.
"The Australian public knows that the Albanese Government is permitting the export of armoured steel, F35 weapons parts and other critical materials to Israel and wants it to stop.
"If the Albanese Government stopped the export of F-35 fighter jet parts to Israel, then their F-35 fleet would be grounded.
"Labor's false claims that F35 fighter jet parts and other material exported to Israel are not 'weapons' is in gross breach of international law, including the 2014 Arms Trade Treaty that Australia is a party to.
"International law is crystal clear, parts of weapons are weapons.
"Germany has stopped weapons exports to Israel, so why on earth won't Labor stop Australia sending them?
"Australia is a key part of the F35 fighter jet program. We are the only place in the world that makes parts like the bomb bay doors and we operate as one of the few regional distribution hubs.
"Two years of hollow talking points from the Albanese Government aren't washing with the public anymore as we watch a genocide in real time.
"Australia's supply of F-35 weapons parts to Israel has recently been described as the 'direct facilitation of war crimes' by Josh Paul, former Director of Congressional and Public Affairs, Bureau of Political-Military Affairs, in the US State Department.
"If Australia applied the same sanctions regime to Israel for its illegal war in Gaza as it is applying to Russia for its illegal war in Ukraine, these exports would have already ended. Instead, the Albanese Government is actively choosing to continue the two-way arms trade with Israel."
