Australia condemns settler violence in the West Bank
Australia has called on Israel to take immediate action over a rising number of violent acts against Palestinian people in the occupied West Bank.
Penny Wong
In a joint statement with 13 other nations, including France and the United Kingdom, Australia condemned what was described as “record high” violence from extremist settlers.
Since the start of October, settlers have committed more than 340 violent attacks against Palestinian people in the West Bank, the statement said.
Eight Palestinian civilians have been killed, more than 80 have been injured and 1026 people forced out of their homes.
The joint statement, also signed by the European Union, accused extremist settlers of terrorising Palestinian communities.
“We reiterate our position that Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank are illegal under international law and remind Israel of its obligations under international law,” the statement said.
“This rise in extremist settler violence committed against Palestinians is unacceptable.
“Israel, as the occupying power, must protect the Palestinian civilian population in the West Bank.”
The joint statement noted the Israeli government last month said it would take action against violent perpetrators.
But Australia and the other nations said proactive steps must be taken to ensure the immediate protection of Palestinian communities.
“Words are important, but must now be translated into action,” the statement read.
Foreign Minister Penny Wong said Australia had grave concerns about the attacks on Palestinian people in the West Bank.
“Effective and immediate action is needed to ensure civilians are protected, perpetrators are held to account and tensions are not inflamed further,” she posted on X, formerly Twitter.
The Australia/Israel and Jewish Affairs Council’s executive director, Dr Rubenstein, said: “This is a very incomplete, one-sided statement.
Hamas and its cheerleaders will see it as evidence that Western support for Israel is waning, especially in light of the decision by Australia to support a misconceived United Nations’ General Assembly ceasefire resolution last week.
For the record, Israel has denounced settler violence and when it happens, it is investigated and those responsible are arrested and detained. Indeed most in Israel and the Jewish world would deplore this behaviour and support efforts by the authorities to do more to suppress it. “
However, this statement fails to recognise the much larger problem of the sharp rise in Palestinian terrorism since October 7 in areas of the West Bank like Jenin – which are Islamist strongholds.
While this joint statement focuses solely on the admittedly regrettable incidents of Jewish settler violence, Palestinians have carried out over 1,300 terrorist attacks on the West Bank and also in Jerusalem in the past two months.
That marks a major escalation in Palestinian terrorist activity. And it is being almost entirely ignored by Western leaders who are eager to ‘balance’ condemnation of Hamas by singling out sporadic Jewish extremism, which is already condemned by the Israeli Government and most of the Jewish world.
AIJAC believes it would have been much more appropriate for such a statement to also be calling on Hamas to lay down its arms, surrender and release the hostages who are being used as human shields, as well as condemning this explosion of Palestinian terrorism in the West Bank.
It is important to note that Germany and the United States did not sign this statement. Australia should have sided with these two nations.
As for claims on the international legal status of settlements made in the statement, these are indeed complicated questions, with varying views from learned experts. It should not be the role of our Government to sign on to such legal determinations.”
AAP
Really, Penny Wong, you find it unacceptable? Do you even know what you are talking about? Where are you getting your information about this increasing settler violence? Who exactly are you referring to when you speak of the ‘settlers’? Some of them are a problem, yes. But if they commit criminal acts, they are prosecuted. And this focus by the Australian government on the West Bank now, at this stage, is only the usual joint decrying of Israel’s behaviour that takes place on the world stage – a type of camaraderie, no? It would be more impressive if Australia, for once, had the strength to stand on its own … for anything.
And it is ‘a grave concern’ to you. It is not your business, nor the Prime Minister’s or other ministers of government, to continually pronounce on Israel’s domestic affairs. It is both arrogant and smug. Australia should look to its own affairs and clean up its own act. Until very recently we kept refugees in what were camps, detaining them indefinitely, for years, in fact.
The International Law and international community you like to refer to so readily, didn’t agree with that, Penny. As well, all Australians are living on colonised land in this country with the exception of the indigenous people, so that doesn’t give you much leeway in commenting on Jews in Israel, whose ancestors were indigenous to the land. Give us a break and stop lecturing Israel.
“Tensions not inflamed further”…..past forgetting and forgiven.
Reminds me about the turning of the other cheek I’m afraid…
we have only two.
Dear Ms Wong – There are no jewish ‘settlers’ in Israel. What you define as the ‘occupied’ territories are called Judea and Samaria – the hint is in the name JUDEA from which the Judean people today known as jews hail from.
The settlers are Palestinians who originate from Egypt, Syria and Turkey.
Reading up on actual history would be very much advisable.