"Australia is clearly taking sides and showing disregard for the many Australians currently in outright despair." The Independent Peaceful Australia Network (IPAN) has expressed alarm about Australia getting involved in the fighting in the Middle East by letting other countries use our air bases up north. IPAN advises that Australia should quickly pull back and not help with the fighting. Australia shouldn’t let others use it as a jumping-off place for attacks and should stop talking to the Likud government in Israel. IPAN also advises that Australia should stop selling any military technology to Israel so that we don't add to the violence. See the link at the bottom of the article to statements about the conflict from various Senators.
- Australia directly implicated in middle east warzone by use of Northern air bases
- Australia must immediately draw back from engaging in the conflict.
- Australian facilities should not be made available for attacking the Middle East
- Australia should cut diplomatic ties with the Likud regime
- Australia must decisively end all bilateral miltech trade with Israel
Australia's stance getting more warlike
For almost 12 months, the Labor Government has outwardly expressed support for a ceasefire in the conflict between Israel and Gaza. At the same time Government voices have variously accused peace protestors of bringing unwanted conflict to our shores.
But Australia is now directly implicated in the growing warzone with the significant decision to permit Northern air bases to provide support to this week’s attack by USA B2 bombers on Houthis in Yemen, stated Mr Justin Tutty, Darwin-based spokesperson for the Independent and Peaceful Australia Network (IPAN) and an anti- nuclear activist.
“Beyond adding fuel to the fire, this unprecedented move illustrates a great risk of the growing USA military presence in Australia”, stated Mr Tutty.
“The Force Posture Agreement has given the USA unimpeded access and control at gazetted sites allowing the USA to take actions that implicate Australia in global conflict, regardless of the will of the Australian people – or even the Australian Parliament”, said Mr Tutty.
False vows of 'rules-based order'
This year of violence has already exposed false vows of ‘rules-based order’. “Now we have also done away with pretence that Labor’s tolerance of IDF Atrocity Crimes was about prioritising social cohesion - to avoid “taking sides,” stated Mr Tutty, referring to Senate motion.
Top End MP, Member for Solomon, Luke Gosling's endorsement of the USA's attack in Yemen exposes Foreign Minister Penny Wong's lip-service towards "ceasefire".
Where Mr Gosling earlier dismissed the ceasefire call as “megaphone diplomacy”, he’s now backed a role in the expanding conflict – clearly taking sides and showing disregard for the many Australians currently in outright despair.
“IPAN calls on Australia to immediately draw back from engaging in the conflict and ensure no Australian facilities are made available for attacking the Middle East”, stated Mr Tutty
“In addition Australia should cut diplomatic ties with the Likud regime; and we must decisively end all bilateral mil-tech trade with Israel, until ‘ceasefire’ graduates from lip service to reality”, stated Mr Tutty.
More balanced amendment rejected in Australian Senate
In the Australian Senate, Senator Steele-John moved an amendment to Senator Penny Wong's (Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs) statement that Australia, "stands with Israel and recognises its inherent right to defend itself;" (Para (b)), suggesting it be substituted with:
(b) [Australia] condemns war crimes perpetrated by the state of Israel, including the bombing of Palestinian civilians and calls for an immediate ceasefire between all parties and an end to the war on Gaza, recognising also that for there to be peace there must be an end to the state of Israel's illegal occupation of the Palestinian Territories;"
This amendment was rejected. See details at https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Hansard/Hansard_Display?bid=chamber/hansards/27133/&sid=0276
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