Greens MP Elizabeth Watson-Brown asks:

The international association of genocide scholars this week voted overwhelmingly in favour of a motion stating that Israel’s actions in Gaza fit the definition of genocide under international law, calling on states like Australia to uphold our obligations under the genocide convention. Will your government finally acknowledge that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza?

Albanese:

I note there are processes before the ICJ and that people will have different views but, those processes are legal processes and what we do, as a responsible government, is allow legal processes to take their course. What I would say about the situation in the Middle East is my government has been consistent. We have been consistent since the terrorist atrocity that Hamas committed on October 7 in calling that out for what it was. We have been consistent in calling for the release of hostages. We have been consistent in calling for a cease fire and for innocent civilians to be protected.

I must say that the resolution that was carried with the support of the major parties in this house has stood the test of time quite well. It calls for international law to be upheld. It calls for innocent people, whether they be Israelis or Palestinians to be protected.

We have called out issues in Gaza with regard to a failure to adequately provide food and essential aid there. We have called out the double tap that occurred at the hospital in Khan Younis for what it was that saw the loss of life of journalists as well as doctors and nurses and people providing assistance there. We have continued to take a principled position that has resulted in criticism from all sides of this debate. It is the right thing to do.

It’s the right thing to do for the role that we play internationally, it’s the right thing to do to work towards a long term solution where both Israelis and Palestinians can live side-by-side in peaceful security, where Israel can continue to exist as a majority Jewish state providing a home land for the Jewish people but where the legitimate aspirations of Palestinian people for their own state can be realised. That is something that I have held throughout my political life and before I came to this parliament. That is something that our government will continue to do, will continue to be a strong advocate, regardless of criticism that is thrown at us, regardless of the misinformation which is put out there, for example we do not fund or provide arms to the state of Israel, we are not a participant in this conflict. What Australians want to see is two things – they want to see the killings stop. They want to see, whether they be Israelis or Palestinians – and the second thing they want is for the conflict to not be brought here.