2016-03-02
Senators Ludlam and Rhiannon: To move—That the Senate—
(a) notes that:
(i) Mr Benjamin Gantz, former Israel Defence Force (IDF) Chief of General Staff, is currently in Australia as a keynote speaker for United Israel Appeal events,
(ii) during his tenure as Chief of General Staff from 2011 to 2015, Mr Gantz led the IDF through numerous military campaigns, including Operation Protective Edge in Gaza from July to August 2014,
(iii) according to the United Nations, Operation Protective Edge resulted in the deaths of over 2,000 Palestinians, most of whom were civilians, and destroyed over 19,000 homes, and
(iv) both the United Nations Independent Commission of Inquiry into the 2014 Gaza conflict, and Amnesty International, have released reports pointing to the possible commission of war crimes by both Israeli and Palestinian armed groups; and
(b) calls on the Australian Government to:
(i) work for an end to Israel’s occupation of the Palestinian territories, and end the 8 year blockade of Gaza,
(ii) halt military cooperation and military trade with Israel, and
(iii) communicate this position to Mr Gantz whilst he is in Australia, should he be issued a visa.