@maxchandlermathermp: Today I asked the PM why he won’t cancel contracts with blacklisted Israeli weapons company Elbit Systems, when we know that weapons from Elbit are used by Israel to wage genocide in Gaza, and were used in the bombing raid which killed Australian aid worker Zomi Frankcom. The PM couldn’t answer the question I actually asked and instead gave more weasel words and pretending that Australia doesn’t have a hand in producing arms which are fueling genocide. The truth is that there have been over 350 defence export permits from Australia to Israel since 2017, including since the beginning of Israel’s invasion. Australia has a uniquely secretive weapons export system. Unlike in countries like the US, here the public does not disclose what is in these permits because the government keeps them secret. Despite this we know that Australia supplies weapons parts to Israel. Australian companies produce critical parts to F-35 joint strike fighters, used in Gaza by the Israel Defense Forces. Weapons company Lockheed Martin has stated clearly: “Every F-35 built contains some Australian parts and components.” More than 50 Australian companies work to ensure the F-35 can be operated. F-35 strike fighters are weapons.and supplying parts of weapons is supplying weapons. The UN Human Rights Council has called “to cease the sale, transfer and diversion of arms, munitions and other military equipment to Israel.” In February 2024 UN experts also specifically called on Australia and other countries to stop military exports to Israel. If Labor claims Australia already aren’t exporting weapons to Israel, why won’t they support the Greens motions to ban all weapons deals with Israel, as Canada, Japan, Spain, Italy, Belgium, the Netherlands, and many others have done? If Labor claims to care about an end to genocide, why won’t they sanction Israel who are conducting it? Why won’t they expel the Israeli ambassador? Why won’t they vote with us to recognise Palestine, like 141 countries have already done? Instead, they join the Liberals to give cover to Israel’s genocide. No amount of weasel words will change the fact that Labor is complicit in genocide. #auspol

Max Chandler Mather

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Region: AU

Thursday 06 June 2024 08:36:34 GMT