2026-02-01
On 20 January, Israel demolished the East Jerusalem headquarters of UNRWA, and 11 countries including UK, Canada and France have signed a joint statement condemning Israel for this action. The Albanese government has declined to sign up to this international statement.
Lines attributable to Senator Mehreen Faruqi, Deputy Leader of the Greens and spokesperson for International Aid and Global Justice:
“Labor’s refusal to join even Canada, the UK and France to condemn Israel for demolishing UNRWA headquarters in East Jerusalem shows Minister Wong has completely given up the pretense of caring about aid to Palestinians.
“Silence on Israel’s bulldozing of UNRWA headquarters was bad enough, but not even having the moral fortitude to join like-minded nations to condemn them is yet another low for the Albanese Labor government. Though, what else can you expect from a divisive government who is laying out a welcome mat for the president of a state committing genocide and who still hasn’t torn up Trump’s invitation to join the farcical and imperial so-called ‘board of peace’?
“At a time where UNWRA and aid is needed the most, this is just going to further fast-track Israel’s genocide and erasure of Palestinians who are already facing starvation, bombing and murder even during a ceasefire."