2024-11-07
Last night in Senate Estimates, it was revealed that the Albanese Government 'lapsed or amended' 16 military permits to Israel from Australia due in part to the "very high number of civilian casualties" in the ongoing conflict.
It was also revealed that 59 of the 65 military export permits that were active with Israel as of June 2024 were for “goods and technologies designed or adapted for use by armed forces or goods that are inherently lethal.” The remaining 6 permits are for “dual-use goods” that are used by both civilians and militaries.
Over the past year, there has been persistent misinformation and gaslighting from the Albanese Government on the two-way arms trade with Israel. Minister Marles falsely claimed that Australia’s exports were all “dual use” and that Australia has not exported “a piece of military equipment” to Israel. Minister Wong's statement that we have only exported “non-lethal” parts to Israel has now also been proven untrue.
The Albanese Government’s review is still not finalised, and more export permits may be cancelled. In the meantime, Australia is continuing to provide military exports to Israel, some of them part of the two-way arms trade with Israel, where Australia receives the weapons back.
Senator David Shoebridge, Greens Spokesperson from Defence, said: “This is a victory for the millions of Australians who, for a year, have been calling on the Albanese Government to take steps to end the arms trade with Israel.
“Over the past year, tens of thousands of innocent people have been killed across the Middle East, with an ongoing genocide in Gaza. In the face of this horror, we now have confirmed that the Albanese government has been permitting the export of military and inherently lethal equipment to Israel.
“After a year of gaslighting and denying that there is a two-way arms trade with Israel, the Albanese Government, under the clouds of a US election, has finally cancelled 16 military permits to Israel.
“The Albanese Government has no credibility in claiming there is no arms trade with Israel while also permitting Australia to export military and inherently lethal goods.
“The Government’s position doesn’t make sense because it is not supposed to, it is designed to silence critics and hide Labor’s complicity in a genocide.
“Cancelling 16 military permits to Israel is a much-needed first step, but why has it come a year late?
“It’s time to end the two-way arms trade with Israel in full.”