WAR – ISRAEL

Wong’s Israeli sanctions create legal minefield

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Original article by Sarah Ison
The Australian – Page: 1 & 5 : 12-Jun-25

The federal government is under growing scrutiny over its decision to back a joint statement imposing financial sanctions and travel bans on two Israeli cabinet ministers. Foreign Minister Penny Wong reiterated Labor’s support for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in announcing the sanctions on National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich. The Department of Foreign Affairs & Trade has warned that Australian individuals or companies that have business interests in Israel should seek legal advice, because they could potentially be in breach of the sanctions and may incur large fines or even imprisonment.

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AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND TRADE

Innocents for terrorists: the price of freedom

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Original article by Jacquelin Magnay
The Australian – Page: 1 & 2 : 21-Jan-25

Should the ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas remain intact over the next 42 days, it will see the release of 33 Israeli hostages in exchange for almost 2,000 Palestinian prisoners. Over 230 of those prisoners are serving life sentences for conducting or taking part in deadly attacks against Israel, and who will be permanently exiled in either Qatar or Egypt. The other prisoners to be released include a further 500 Palestinian prisoners who are serving sentences for ‘security crimes’, along with almost 1,000 others who have been detained since the 7 October attacks by Hamas.

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Trump offers hope, but PM and Wong turn on Israel again

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Original article by Ben Packham, Joanna Panagopoulos, Joe Kelly
The Australian – Page: 1 & 2 : 4-Dec-24

US president-elect Donald Trump has given Hamas an ultimatum to release its remaining Israeli hostages. Trump has indicated that Hamas will be "hit harder than anybody has been hit" before in the history of the US if the surviving hostages are not freed before his inauguration on 20 January. Meanwhile, sources have confirmed that the federal government is likely to vote against Israel on three key resolutions in the United Nations’ General Assembly.

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UNITED STATES. EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT, UNITED NATIONS. GENERAL ASSEMBLY

G20 goes soft on Russia

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Original article by Phillip Coorey
The Australian Financial Review – Page: Online : 20-Nov-24

The final declaration of the G20 leaders’ summit in Rio de Janeiro has failed to mention the 7 October 2023 terrorist attacks on Israel. The declaration merely stated "deep concern" regarding the "catastrophic humanitarian situation" in the Gaza Strip and the escalation of the conflict in Lebanon. It also emphasised the need for an "unwavering commitment" to a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, while not mentioning the remaining Israeli hostages in Gaza or the roles of Hamas and Hezbollah in the current hostilities. The final declaration also did not specifically refer to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, but noted the "human suffering and negative added impacts of the war" in Ukraine. The G20 leaders also did not commit to achieving net zero emissions by 2050.

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GROUP OF TWENTY (G-20)

Israeli parliament votes to ban UNRWA from Israel within 90 days

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Original article by Andrew Roth
The Guardian – Page: Online : 30-Oct-24

The US and British governments have expressed concern after the Israeli parliament voted 92-10 to ban the United Nations Relief & Works Agency from operating in the country. The ban is slated to take effect within 90 days, and will prohibit the UNRWA from conducting any activity or providing any service in Israel, including Gaza and the occupied West Bank. UNRWA’s Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini says the vote will set a dangerous precedent, while British Prime Minister Keir Starmer warns that the ban will jeopardise the international humanitarian response in Gaza.

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UNITED NATIONS RELIEF AND WORKS AGENCY FOR PALESTINE REFUGEES IN THE NEAR EAST, GREAT BRITAIN. OFFICE OF THE PRIME MINISTER

Labor in a two-state daydream

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Original article by Ben Packham, Sarah Ison, Geoff Chambers
The Australian – Page: 1 & 5 : 11-Oct-24

Former Queensland premier Peter Beattie says the public debate on the current conflict in the Middle East has been hijacked by extremists. The Labor stalwart has also criticised the federal government’s stance on Israel, as well as its broader policies regarding the Middle East; he contends that a two-state solution will never happen unless the enemies of Israel accept the nation’s right to exist. Beattie has also responded to the government’s call for a ceasefire in Gaza and Lebanon by arguing that unless all parties agree to a comprehensive peace plan it will merely be a "pause before the next battle".

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AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY

Jewish leaders: put Greens last

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Original article by Joe Kelly, David Tanner
The Australian – Page: 1 & 5 : 9-Oct-24

The Executive Council of Australian of Jewry and the Zionist Federation of Australia have joined forces to urge Labor and the Coalition to preference the Greens last on their how-to-vote cards at the upcoming federal election. The two Jewish groups argued in their letter to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Opposition leader Peter Dutton that the two major political parties should preference each other ahead of the Greens, citing the minor party’s "shameful and cynical behaviour" in the 12 months since the October 7 terrorist attack on Israel. They also urged Albanese and Dutton to rule out any deal with the Greens to form a minority government.

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EXECUTIVE COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIAN JEWRY, ZIONIST FEDERATION OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN GREENS, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET

Bitterness set in motion: House fails on bipartisanship

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Original article by Ben Packham, Rosie Lewis, Rhiannon Down
The Australian – Page: 1 & 5 : 9-Oct-24

A condolence motion for victims of the October 7 terrorist attacks in Israel was passed by the lower house on Tuesday, with the support of crossbenchers; the Greens abstained from voting. The Coalition also voted against the motion, because Opposition leader Peter Dutton had wanted it to focus solely on October 7. Dutton and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese had agreed to a joint motion, but the latter wanted it to include clauses in support of a two-state solution and an end to the Middle East’s "cycle of violence". Albanese ultimately put his version of the motion to parliament, and Dutton accused him of rejecting the Coalition’s "more than reasonable position" for his own "domestic political advancement".

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AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA

Jeers for Albanese and cheers for Dutton as leaders join Jewish communities to mark 7 October atrocities

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Original article by Benita Kolovos, Daisy Dumas
The Guardian Australia – Page: Online : 8-Oct-24

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese attended a vigil in Melbourne on Monday to mark the one year anniversary of the 7 October Hamas attack on Israel. Walking alongside rabbi Gabi Kaltmann, Albanese was met with some jeers, while he did not speak at the event. Opposition leader Peter Dutton spoke at a Sydney commemoration organised by the Zionist Council of NSW and the NSW Jewish Board of Deputies, with Dutton receiving a loud cheer when he walked on to the stage. He claimed there had been a "vacuum of leadership" and "moral fog" in Australia since the 7 October attack, while he said he wanted to make it very clear that he believed that Israel has every right to defend its territory

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AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, ZIONIST COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA, NEW SOUTH WALES JEWISH BOARD OF DEPUTIES INCORPORATED

War and appeasement

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Original article by Rosie Lewis, Greg Brown
The Australian – Page: 1 & 4 : 3-Oct-24

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says the federal government is very concerned about Iran’s ballistic missile attack on Israel and condemns the action. Albanese adds that Israel has a right to defend itself, but he has urged a diplomatic solution to the crisis in the Middle East rather than an escalation of the conflict. He has also called for an immediate ceasefire in both Gaza and Lebanon. The government has ‘directly’ raised its concerns about Iran’s missile attack with the nation’s ambassador to Australia, Ahmad Sadeghi. Meanwhile, Opposition leader Peter Dutton says the Coalition "will not waver" in supporting both Israel and Jewish Australians.

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AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND TRADE, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA