Indigenous Friends of Israel not pleased with Palestine decision

The Indigenous Friends of Israel International has not welcomed Australia’s announcement that it would support recognition of a Palestinian state.

Co-founders of the Indigenous Friends of Israel International Foundation Ltd, Norman and Barbara Miller, write:

“The blood of Australian soldiers stained the soil of the Holy Land to free it from the colonial rule of the Ottoman Empire and their German allies in World War 1. The bones of our soldiers lie in Commonwealth War Graves in Israel and Gaza.

“The ANZACs were feted by the Netanyahu Israeli government at the 100^th anniversary of the Battle of Beersheba (Be’er-Sheva) on 31 October 2017. We were there, leading an international team, as Australian descendants of the light horsemen, in uniform, rode their horses through the city. We watched with excited crowds as they reenacted the famous charge that opened the way to the liberation of Jerusalem after centuries of Islamic occupation.

But now Australia has turned its back on Israel by deciding to recognise Palestine, which is committed to the destruction of Israel and the genocide or removal of its Jews.

The Australian government plans to do this at the UN meeting in September, along with France, the UK and Canada, joining 147 nations who have already done so. However, Palestinians do not want a two-state solution. They want a one-state solution, all of Israel with Jerusalem as their capital.

So, do we want it on our conscience that we are recognising a terror state that has gloated over and vowed it will repeat the October 7 civilian massacre, rape, torture, and kidnapping war crimes over and over again?

This is an existential struggle for Israel, our supposed ally, and the only democracy in the Middle East. The only nation in the world standing with Israel is the US, and our Prime Minister Albanese would rather talk with Mahmoud Abbas, who succeeded PLO terror leader Yasser Arafat, than our long-term ally, the US. Abbas also has a ‘pay for slay” of Jews policy, has been accused of corruption, and does not have to face elections.

Apart from sympathy for the Palestinian issue from his university days, our Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Penny Wong, have no doubt been influenced by fake news of starving children in Gaza. No one wants war, and no one wants starvation, but the responsibility of Hamas and the UN in stopping food from getting to Gazans must be recognised.

Our government and, particularly, Senator Wong, have always put pressure on Israel and not on Hamas, showing double standards. Hamas broke the ceasefire on October 7, and many ceasefires have been agreed to by Israel and not Hamas since then.

US Secretary of State Mark Rubio told an American Catholic radio station, ‘Talks with Hamas fell apart on the day Macron made the unilateral decision that he’s going to recognize the Palestinian state.’ (The Australian 11.8.25)

It is the height of irresponsibility and moral confusion to recognize Palestine before its borders are delineated, it can govern without civil war between the Palestinian Authority and Hamas, it is not governed by a terror group like Hamas, it has agreed to release the hostages, cease war with Israel, recognize Israel’s right to exist and stop indoctrinating its children to hate and kill Jews.

Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke’s assertion that Labor can recognise Palestine even if Hamas occupies half its lands is ridiculous. He says it’s due to Australia dealing diplomatically with Syria and Iraq while the Islamic State occupied lands there. However, these were nations long before ISIS operated there. How many more terror groups will line up for their own state now?

Apart from delaying a resolution to the conflict resulting in more lives lost, premature recognition of a Palestinian state, which in an ideal world would live side by side with Israel in peace, will result in losing the leverage needed to secure the reforms necessary to achieve it.”

 

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