{"id":552053,"date":"2026-07-21T09:35:14","date_gmt":"2026-07-21T09:35:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/552053\/"},"modified":"2026-07-21T09:35:14","modified_gmt":"2026-07-21T09:35:14","slug":"israel-pans-draft-of-australias-ruling-labor-partys-platform-ahead-of-debate","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/552053\/","title":{"rendered":"Israel pans draft of Australia’s ruling Labor party’s platform ahead of debate"},"content":{"rendered":"

Israel took the unusual step on Monday of speaking out against a draft of the platform of Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese\u2019s Labor Party, criticizing it as one-sided and saying it did adequately address the responsibility of the Palestinian Authority and Hamas in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.<\/p>\n

In what media reports framed as highly unconventional involvement by a foreign power in the internal activities of a political party, the Israeli Embassy in Canberra issued a lengthy statement detailing its issues with the draft, which is to be debated at a Labor Party national conference later this week.<\/p>\n

It said: \u201cThe embassy respectfully submits that several elements of the draft platform risk placing responsibility for the conflict on one party while giving insufficient attention to the decisions, conduct and continuing obligations of the Palestinian leadership and terrorist organizations such as Hamas.\u201d<\/p>\n

Israel \u201cremains committed to a future in which Israelis and Palestinians live alongside one another in peace and security,\u201d the statement continued. \u201cThat future, however, cannot be built through unilateral political declarations or international pressure directed at only one side.\u201d<\/p>\n

The embassy said it \u201cnotes these policy motions are still in draft form, and will continue to engage constructively with the Australian Labor Party through the usual diplomatic channels.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Foreign Minister Penny Wong did not comment to media on the Israeli Embassy\u2019s statement.<\/p>\n

Minister for International Development and Multicultural Affairs Anne Aly said: \u201cThe Israeli embassy can put out what they want to say.\u201d<\/p>\n

\t\"\"<\/a>
\n\t\tScreen capture from video of Australia\u2019s then-Minister for Early Childhood Education Anne Aly, 2024. (Sky News Australia)<\/p>\n

In an interview with ABC Radio National, Employment Minister Amanda Rishworth said the matter is up to the party to debate internally, according to the Sydney Morning Herald.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have unequivocally condemned Hamas, including for the atrocities of the 7th of October and its ongoing acts of terror,\u201d the minister said.\u00a0\u201cWe want to see a two-state solution in which Israelis and Palestinians can live in secure borders, and I think our prime minister and our government\u2019s been pretty clear about that.\u201d<\/p>\n

The draft up for consideration has more to say about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict than the previous platform document from 2023. That had just a few lines which dealt with recognition of a Palestinian state<\/a>, something the Australian government followed through with in September 2025.<\/p>\n

The new draft reportedly goes into details of motions to express opposition to the annexation of the West Bank and Gaza, and calls to end settler violence and Israel\u2019s military control of the territories. It also condemns the laws recently passed by the Knesset authorizing the death penalty for Palestinians<\/a> convicted of deadly terror attacks on Israelis, and backs the International Criminal Court\u2019s arrest warrant against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.<\/p>\n

The draft \u201cunreservedly condemns terrorism and violent extremism, including as perpetrated by Hamas.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Albanese government also announced $25 million in aid for Palestinians, including assistance for recovery in Gaza, and support to \u201cstrengthen the institutional foundations of the State of Palestine.\u201d<\/p>\n

In its statement on Monday, the Israeli embassy described settler violence as a \u201creprehensible but marginal phenomenon\u201d and complained the draft gave it \u201cdisproportionate attention.\u201d<\/p>\n

It also said that \u201cthose seeking peace would be better served to focus its scrutiny on the terrorism experienced by both Jewish and Arab Israelis at the hands of terrorist groups such as Hamas.\u201d<\/p>\n

According to the UK Guardian newspaper<\/a>, an earlier version of the draft had the line \u201cHamas must disarm and can have no role in the State of Palestine,\u201d but that clause was dropped from the draft that will be brought to the conference.<\/p>\n

\u201cAny reduction of pressure on Hamas and its redirection towards Israel will continue to empower the terrorist organization,\u201d the embassy said.<\/p>\n

\t\"\"<\/a>
\n\t\tAustralian Foreign Minister Penny Wong answers reporter\u2019s question during a press conference in Seoul, South Korea, April 30, 2026. (AP\/Lee Jin-man)<\/p>\n

The Australian Palestinian Advocacy Network (APAN) is lobbying for the draft to take a sterner stance against Israel, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation reported<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat means ending defense exports that risk contributing to atrocities, confronting the illegal settlement enterprise, and ensuring Australia meets its obligations under international law,\u201d said APAN executive officer Katie Shammas.<\/p>\n

Israel\u2019s relations with Australia have been tense in the years following the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led invasion of southern Israel that sparked the war in the Gaza Strip. Canberra has condemned Israeli actions in its war against Hamas, while Jerusalem has charged that Australia has done little to combat the mounting antisemitism that culminated in the December mass shooting attack at a Hanukkah event in which 15 people were killed.<\/p>\n


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