Greens senator David Shoebridge said there is nothing stopping the Albanese government from putting the same sort of sanctions it has put on Russia, on Israel, for what it is doing to Palestine.

Shoebridge:

For too long, the Albanese Government has refused to act, and placed no pressure on the Israeli Government to end the genocide.  

We know what action looks like, we have seen it done before. We need to see it again. There is mass starvation in Gaza, and thousands of children are hours away from death. Inaction was never an option; it is not now.”

It is good that after two years of denial, the Albanese government is now acknowledging the horror occurring in front of our eyes. The Prime Minister must now impose sanctions, follow the words with action and end the two-way arms trade.

The Albanese Government’s position that there is nothing it can do to put pressure on the Israeli Government is a weak attempt to distract the public from its complicity. 

The Albanese Government will claim they are waiting for other countries to act so they can follow, but the Albanese Government has failed to impose sanctions on Israel to the level of other countries. 

Despite the spin from the Albanese Government, it is not in dispute that the Government has allowed weapons and weapon parts from Australia to be sent to Israel. Parts of the F-35 fighter jet were exported this month, and the Canberra-made R400 remote weapon system was used in Israel early this year. 

We stopped the arms trade with Russia. We can do the same with Israel,” Senator Shoebridge said.