The Executive Council of Australian Jewry (ECAJ) has warned that Labor’s softened platform wording on Israel and Palestine risks eventually leading to a softer federal government position on Hamas and the Palestinian Authority.
The platform condemns terrorism and violent extremism, including terrorism perpetrated by Hamas and other extremists, but does not explicitly state that Hamas must disarm or be excluded from a future Palestinian government.
It also omits direct calls for the Palestinian Authority to carry out the reforms linked to Australia’s recognition of a Palestinian state.
ECAJ co-chief executive Peter Wertheim said the concern was that Labor’s reduced emphasis on excluding Hamas and holding the Palestinian Authority to its commitments would eventually flow into government policy.
“The concern is that the weakening of resolve to exclude Hamas from any role in governing a Palestinian state and to hold the Palestinian Authority to account for failing to honour its written commitments, as now enshrined in the ALP platform, will eventually become government policy,” he said.
He said Australia was right to seek a role in promoting peace but argued that this required pressure on Palestinian leaders as well as Israel.
“The government is right to say that Australia can play a role in promoting harmony rather than conflict in the Middle East,” he said.
“That ambition is unlikely to be achieved by dispensing harsh criticisms to one side only, namely Israel, while going soft on the bad faith of the Palestinian Authority in failing to meet the written commitments it made to the Australian government to induce Australia to recognise a Palestinian state.”
Wertheim called on Australia to work with Britain and Canada to press the Palestinian Authority over what he described as its lack of progress on governance reform, elections, education and ending payments to the families of Palestinian prisoners.
“Australia partnered with Britain and Canada last year when a Palestinian state was recognised,” he said.
“That same partnership should now come together and publicly hold the Palestinian Authority to account for its conspicuous lack of progress in meeting its promises to reform its governance, terminate payments to the families of Palestinian prisoners, institute schooling reform, and hold general elections.
“In essence, the Palestinian State needs to be told to act like one.”
Wertheim also called on the three governments to demand the immediate disarmament of Hamas.
“All three governments should also demand that Hamas disarm immediately,” he said.
“Large-scale investment for rebuilding will never flow into Gaza while Hamas remains armed and in control of any part of that territory.
“Until Hamas is disarmed, Palestinian statehood will remain a sham, a sham that Australia has helped to create.”
His comments follow a report in The Australian that Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles privately conceded the Israel and Palestine section of Labor’s new platform was flawed.
According to the report, Marles told Labor’s Right faction that the wording would be different in ideal circumstances but urged delegates to approve it unchanged.
He reportedly warned that reopening the section risked a conference-floor fight that might have produced stronger criticism of Israel.
Marles also reportedly told delegates the platform did not alter the government’s position that Hamas must disarm and have no role in a Palestinian state.
His recommendation led pro-Israel delegates to drop an amendment seeking explicit language on Hamas and Palestinian Authority reform, The Australian reported.
A separate resolution from Labor MP Ed Husic, which accused Israel of genocide and apartheid and called for Australian officials to be withdrawn from Tel Aviv, was not debated after failing to secure a seconder.
The platform was endorsed unchanged by about 400 delegates after speeches from Jewish MP Josh Burns and Palestinian Australian MP Basem Abdo.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese later defended the wording, saying the party had “got the balance right”.
Other Jewish organisations have also criticised the final platform.
Zionist Federation of Australia president Jeremy Leibler welcomed Foreign Minister Penny Wong’s assurance that the commitments underpinning Australia’s recognition of a Palestinian state remained government policy.
However, he said the platform placed detailed obligations on Israel while giving less attention to the conduct of Hamas and the Palestinian leadership.
The ZFA urged the government to continue applying its stated conditions, including democratic reform, demilitarisation, an end to incentives for terrorism, recognition of Israel and the exclusion of Hamas from government.
The Australia/Israel & Jewish Affairs Council said it was relieved Husic’s proposal had not been adopted but remained disappointed by the omission of explicit demands for Hamas disarmament, Palestinian Authority reform and guarantees for Israel’s security.
AIJAC executive director Colin Rubenstein said those requirements were central to any credible two-state outcome. He also warned that removing explicit conditions on Hamas disarmament and Palestinian Authority reform weakened the credibility of Labor’s support for a negotiated two-state solution.
Labor Friends of Israel spokesperson Mike Kelly said the group was “deeply disturbed by the events at the national conference” and warned that removing the explicit rejection of Hamas risked suggesting Labor accepted a role for the group in government.
Wong has denied the platform was watered down, arguing that it still condemns Hamas and supports a United Nations resolution referring to Palestinian Authority reform.
The government reaffirmed before the conference that Hamas must disarm and play no role in a Palestinian state and that the Palestinian Authority remains accountable for its reform commitments.
Wertheim warned that Labor’s platform wording risks eventually replacing those government commitments.
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