2024-04-15
The Victorian Greens have thrown their support behind a community petition calling on the Victorian Labor Government to sever ties with Elbit, Israel’s largest weapons manufacturer.
The Greens say it is ‘morally bankrupt’ to hold a relationship with Elbit while its weapons are being used to flatten Gaza and massacre more than 30,000 innocent civilians.
In 2021, Labor formed a partnership with Elbit Systems, and in 2022 signed a memorandum of understanding with the Israel Ministry of Defence.
Despite pressure from the community and repeated questioning by the Greens in Parliament, Labor has to date refused to disclose further information about this relationship or commit to ending it in light of the unfolding genocide in Gaza.
Leader of the Victorian Greens, Samantha Ratnam, said for the past six months thousands of Victorians had been taking to the streets every week to demand a permanent ceasefire.
Yet despite the growing movement for peace around the world, Labor refused to act.
If the community petition is able to get more than 2,000 handwritten signatures, it will trigger an automatic debate on the petition in the Victorian Parliament, forcing Labor to debate it.
Quotes attributable to Leader of the Victorian Greens, Samantha Ratnam MLC:
“It was Elbit drones that killed Australian aid worker Zomi Frankcom and her colleagues, and it is Elbit weapons that are continuing to kill thousands of innocent Palestinians.
“Enough is enough – Victorian Labor needs to do what it can towards ending the bloodshed in Gaza and end its relationship with the manufacturer responsible for weapons contributing to a genocide.
“And if they won’t, the community will force them to face up to it in Parliament.”