Statement on Labor’s attempt to distract from the slaughter in Gaza

2024-06-05

Labor’s attempts to blame the Greens for growing community disappointment over their support for the invasion of Gaza is nothing more than a deflection from their complicity in the unfolding slaughter.

Today, following Question Time, Labor and Liberal voted to gag the Members for Melbourne and Griffith so as to prevent them from suspending standing orders to highlight the recent sale of 25 F-35 fighter aircrafts to Israel that use Australian components to drop bombs in Gaza.

The Greens are clear: today’s abuse of Question Time by Labor is an attempt to silence criticism of Labor’s support for the invasion of Gaza, and to distract from Labor’s refusal to do anything meaningful to put pressure on Benjamin Netanyahu to stop the slaughter.

Statement from Adam Bandt MP:

Scorched by community rage over Gaza, Labor is now desperately trying to distract from their continued backing of Israel’s invasion of Gaza.

Labor continues to back the invasion, refuses to take any diplomatic actions against Israel and continues two-way arms trade with Israel. Just today, Israel has ordered another 25 F-35s that use components only made in Australia to drop bombs in Gaza.

Labor and Liberal abused Question Time to defend the invasion of Gaza and shut down any debate about Labor’s ongoing refusal to recognise Palestine, stop the two-way arms trade with Israel and call for a permanent ceasefire. 

People want a permanent ceasefire now, and as a party of non-violence that has repeatedly called for any protests to be peaceful, the Greens won’t be lectured about peace by a Prime Minister that backs the horrific invasion of Gaza.