Senator David Pocock has called on the government to cut military ties with Israel. Photo: Supplied.
David Pocock has called on the Federal Government to take a stronger stance against the Israeli government and sanction its officials over the human tragedy in Gaza.
The ACT independent senator has also called on Australia to cut military ties with Israel over atrocities committed against Palestinian women and children.
Appearing in the halls of Parliament House Monday night (3 June) alongside humanitarian workers who had recently returned from the frontline in Gaza, Senator Pocock said it was time to “put this unfolding human catastrophe ahead of our allies”.
He described what Israel is doing as unacceptable and something that must come to an end.
Insisting there are more actions the government can take without further delay, he noted the violence was not restricted to military attacks.
He said the United Nations estimates that more than 50,000 children need treatment for acute malnutrition across the Gaza Strip.
“Over 36,000 people have been killed by the Israeli Defence Force in Gaza since October last year – half of whom are women and children,” Senator Pocock said.
“Over 81,000 have been injured – many horrifically. Severe burns, explosive injuries, lost limbs. These are injuries that will change the course of people’s lives.”
There are trucks loaded with food stuck at the borders, with children starving to death on the other side.
Critical humanitarian facilities, including hospitals and clinics, are being forced to close.
Senator Pocock said strikes have continued despite the International Court of Justice ordering them to stop.
“Like so many people, I have condemned Hamas’s deplorable actions in the strongest possible terms and continue to advocate for the release of hostages,” he said.
“I also deplore the rise in antisemitism and other forms of hate speech we’ve seen.
“It is disappointing how this issue has been so weaponised and used for political gain.
“In the wake of the news that the International Criminal Court prosecutor is seeking arrest warrants for key Hamas leaders, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the Israeli Minister for Defence for war crimes and crimes against humanity, I welcome the Australian Government affirming their support for the ICC.
“We cannot pick and choose which potential crimes are politically convenient for the ICC to investigate. Nations around the world must support its work without fear or favour.
“But there is more our government can and should do.
“The scale of ongoing killings and human suffering in Gaza, especially of women and children, necessitates a stronger response.
“Countries around the world must step up and use every lever at our disposal to stop this horror.
“We should be looking at targeted sanctions against members of the Israeli government and the Israeli Defence Force – they simply cannot be allowed to continue operating with impunity and disregarding the ICJ and international community.
“We must also cut all military ties with Israel.
“Just this year, an Australian army contract worth $917 million was awarded to Elbit Systems to work on new Infantry Fighting Vehicles being constructed in Victoria.
“Australia continues to export ‘dual use’ items to Israel that can be used for military purposes – and we still don’t know what these dual-use items are… Our government has been speaking out against the actions of Israel, but they are still holding back.
“They need to stop holding back and start pulling out all the stops. If they don’t, history will judge us.”
It comes as an open letter from public servants to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese calling for an end of military support for Israel has received more than 2000 signatures.
Employees from the Australian Public Service, as well as from the ACT and all state and territory public services, have described Israel’s actions as genocide.
“We … write to you from stolen land, land that was never ceded by First Nations peoples who are still engaged in the struggle for liberation,” the letter states.
“We acknowledge the harm done to First Nations peoples by government agencies and policies, both in the past and ongoingly.
“As public servants whose work is to serve our communities, it is our obligation to voice our deep concern that you are leading Australia to be complicit in an additional genocide, an additional colonial project, staining this nation with more war crimes – even more than it lays claim to already – and, in negligence of the public we serve, these war crimes are again in the service of foreign powers.
“We call on the Australian Government to take swift and decisive action to end its support of the genocide, ethnic cleansing and illegal occupation of Palestine by immediately ceasing all military exports to Israel.”
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