ACT Greens call for an Apartheid Free Canberra

Photo: James Cruz

2024-02-29

The following motion was agreed by the ACT Greens on Monday 19th February, 2024.

The ACT Greens note: 

  1. Australian Greens resolution of June 2023 which identifies that the state of Israel’s ongoing occupation of the Palestinian territories and the expropriation of Palestinian land, water, airspace, and resources is illegal and must be opposed;
  2. The state of Israel maintains a regime of settler colonialism, apartheid and occupation over the Palestinian people which began in 1948;
  3. Since 7th October 2023, the state of Israel has significantly intensified its attacks on the Palestinian people, so far killing over 30,000 people;
  4. On 26 January 2024, the International Court of Justice accepted the plausibility of South Africa’s case against Israel on charges of genocide in Gaza, for which Israel will now be tried.
  5. Attempts by the Israel Lobby to conflate anti-Zionism and antisemitism.

The ACT Greens call for: 

  1. A permanent ceasefire by the Israeli government throughout occupied Palestine. 
  2. An immediate end to Israel’s illegal siege and blockade of Gaza;
  3. An end to the illegal occupation of Palestinian land by the state of Israel, an end to apartheid and ethnic cleansing against Palestinian people;
  4. Support for boycotts, divestments & targeted sanctions on government institutions, entities and organisations that profit from or are complicit in the violation of Palestinian Human Rights;
  5. The ACT Government to join the international calls for a permanent ceasefire; 
  6. All Australian Governments, especially the ACT Government, to halt military and security trade and cooperation with the state of Israel and withdraw all investment from all companies complicit in the violation of Palestinian human rights, including taking steps to terminate contracts with companies complicit in Israeli war crimes, such as armament manufacturing offices;
  7. Condemn the Federal Government’s decision to pause funding to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) and demand this be reinstated;
  8. The ACT Government to progress towards the ACT becoming an Apartheid Free Zone;
  9. Protection of workers and activists who are standing against the genocide of Palestinians, including ACT Government workers’ rights to freedom of expression, such as through their choice of clothing or posts on social media;  
  10. ACT Greens resources to be allocated to support the fight for justice for Palestine.  

The ACT Greens believe, and call on their elected representatives to:

  1. Action the calls, specifically numbers 4-9, of this motion on the ACT Government;
  2. Use every opportunity to show solidarity with Palestinian people and their allies campaigning to expose, challenge and end Israeli genocide and the apartheid regime;
  3. Use every opportunity to challenge the conflation of anti-Zionism and antisemitism.

Media contact: James Cruz, convenor@act.greens.org.au