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Coalition's Rhetoric Against Palestinians Escalates Amid Gaza War Zone Crisis

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

The Australian government's approach to processing Palestinian refugees fleeing the Gaza war zone has become increasingly fraught, with opposition leader Peter Dutton claiming that no Palestinians should be allowed into the country due to national security risks. Meanwhile, senior Labor figures are losing patience with Israel's military action in Gaza and are calling for the country to end the occupation and starvation of Palestinians.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Australian Coalition leader, Peter Dutton, has stated that no Palestinians should be allowed into Australia due to national security risks, contradicting the assessment by Asio spy chief Mike Burgess that rhetorical support for Hamas should not be an automatic bar to Palestinians receiving visas.
  • The Albanese government is now looking for ways to allow Palestinians who fled to Australia to stay longer, with new Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke declaring that no country should send people back to Gaza right now.
  • Senior Labor figures, including Education Minister Jason Clare and Industry Minister Ed Husic, are increasingly frustrated at Israel's conduct in Gaza and are calling for the country to end its occupation and starvation of Palestinians.
  • Clare invited Dutton to visit his south-west Sydney seat of Blaxland to meet "great people" from Gaza who "had their homes, schools, and hospitals blown up" and "had their kids blown up", highlighting the human cost of the conflict.
  • Labor MPs are also growing impatient with Israel's actions, with Husic saying that Australia should be open to levelling sanctions against the Israeli government, including its prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu.
  • Foreign Minister Penny Wong has described the Middle East peace process as "particularly risky" with risks of escalation in Lebanon and vis-a-vis Iran, and said that the situation in Gaza is "continuing to worsen".

Statistics:

  • The number of Palestinian refugees fleeing Gaza is estimated to be in the hundreds of thousands, with many already in live in Australia on temporary visas.
  • The Australian Coalition's claim that bringing in Palestinian refugees poses a national security risk is contradicted by the fact that security checks are the same as when the Coalition was in power, as noted by Education Minister Jason Clare.
  • The duration of the conflict in Gaza has been ongoing for several decades, with the current escalation beginning in August 2023.
  • The Australian government has traditionally taken a strong stance in support of Israel, but there is growing discontent within Labor ranks about the country's treatment of Palestinians.

Sources:

  • Dutton, P. (2023, October 7). Australian Greens' leader Chris Bowen urges government to take firmer stance on Israel. The Australian.
  • ABC TV (2023, October 11). PM's daily press conference.
  • Radio National (2023, October 11). Jason Clare and Bill Shorten on the Palestinian crisis.
  • Sunday Telegraph (2023, August). Ed Husic calls for sanctions against Israel.

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