Human tragedy in Israel-Gaza deeply distressing: Wong
Foreign Minister Penny Wong has reflected on ‘disturbing rhetoric’ about Israel and Gaza as Australia backs a global statement on the conflict.
Penny Wong
Australia has backed a multi-nation statement calling for the immediate release of Hamas-held hostages and the protection of civilians in the Israel-Gaza conflict.
Foreign Minister Penny Wong has also cautioned Australia’s political and community leaders to show restraint, as tensions rise ahead of a likely ground invasion of Gaza by Israeli forces.
“We have seen some disturbing rhetoric in recent weeks,” Senator Wong told a budget estimates hearing on Monday.
“We are seeing a human tragedy, and I would observe that how all of us as political leaders approach these issues does have an impact on the unity of our country.
“Australians are deeply distressed, and rightly so, and this distress is felt most acutely in our Jewish community and our Palestinian community.”
The foreign minister said all MPs should strive for unity and social cohesion.
“I ask all parliamentarians when we speak let us speak with respect and understanding,” she said.
“We all join in rejecting hatred, condemning prejudice and discrimination in all its forms.”
Senator Wong backed a joint statement from the US, UK, Canada, France, Italy and Germany supporting Israel’s right to defend itself against terrorism and calling for adherence to international humanitarian law, including the protection of civilians.
The countries also committed to continuing close diplomatic coordination to prevent the conflict from spreading, preserve stability in the Middle East, and work towards a political solution and durable peace.
The federal government has worked to get Australians out of Israel to safety.
The Home Affairs Department remains concerned about the impacts on social cohesion in Australia.
“We’re working extraordinarily hard to try and understand where those things might play out and what we can do to respond,” acting secretary Stephanie Foster said.
The department’s first priority when officers found out about the attack was to check the safety of three locally engaged staff in Israel as well as others in the region.
One staff member travelling through the region was helped to return to a regional post.
Labor frontbencher Murray Watt said every civilian life lost in the violence between Israel and Hamas was a tragedy, regardless of which side of the border they came from.
The Islamist group, considered a terrorist organisation by the Australian government, attacked Israel on October 7, killing more than 1400 people and taking more than 150 hostages.
Tel Aviv has retaliated by laying siege to the 2.3 million people living in Gaza and unleashing a bombing campaign that has left more than 4700 dead, another 14,000 wounded and roughly one million displaced.
It also enacted a blockage on fuel and water, leaving Gazans with no power and dwindling supplies.
Australia’s ambassador to the US Kevin Rudd said there were concerns about the impact Hamas was having on the Palestinian people “just as we’re concerned about proper humanitarian support for those people in Gaza as well as getting Australian nationals out”.
The government is helping 77 Australians, permanent residents and immediate family members in Gaza.
Australia is supporting international efforts to establish a humanitarian corridor to get citizens out.
More than 1800 Australians have left Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories, some of them on government repatriation flights.
24-hour Consular Emergency Centre: +61 2 6261 3305 (from overseas) or 1300 555 135 (from within Australia)
By: Kat Wong, Andrew Brown and Dominic Giannini/AAP
Your article states “Tel Aviv has retaliated by laying siege….” .What has Tel Aviv have to do with it? Is this another denial of Jerusalem being the Capital of Israel? And why perpetuate the lie that Israel has enacted a “siege” on Gaza?