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‘The world is watching this horrific conflict’
Reading through the hansard from last night and the Labor member for Moreton, Graham Perrett made one of the strongest speeches we have seen so far on the situation in Gaza.
Perrett took the opportunity during the adjournment debate (the session just before parliament adjourns for the day, where MPs can discuss issue of their choosing) to speak on war crimes:
The term “war crime” is one we hear often, but I want to explain what it actually means. This is important in light of the escalation of civilian deaths in Gaza, despite efforts to negotiate a peace by Australia and other countries with much more influence.
Australia and many other countries have called for Israel to abide by the international court of justice ruling that it must take measures to prevent genocide in Gaza.
It is tragic that, nearly six months on, the situation continues to be devastating, with little progress made towards a ceasefire. Meanwhile, the people of Gaza are suffering on a scale that is unimaginable.
They are living with daily bombings, deaths and starvation, mainly because of Israel’s refusal to let enough food into Gaza. Blocking that is both official and achieved via systemic go-slows and citizen action that is unlawful. How could anyone perpetrate such an act of barbarism on children?
He said he had been to Israel as part of a parliamentary delegation “something not funded by lobbyists” and “witnessed the way Palestinians were treated”:
Their daily lives are ruled by checkpoints. I saw different roads for different races, and I know that there are two systems of justice for children based on race. Societies that have a two-tier system are never harmonious places.
Today there are many in my community who feel helpless and angry and who are struggling to comprehend the enormity of the devastation and death.
This conflict is extremely divisive. Everyone has an opinion, a story and a conspiracy theory, and some are devoted to lying about the facts. But the one thing we can all agree on is that the atrocities committed against civilians, regardless of who has committed them and why, deserve redress via international humanitarian law as enforced by the international criminal court in The Hague.
Perrett finished with:
I’m not here to list the war crimes committed since 7 October last year, but I want to call out the atrocities with the intention that the world holds all perpetrators to account.
I am talking about the deliberate targeting of civilians – especially women and children – indiscriminate rocket attacks and the taking of civilians as hostages.
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2024-03-19 15:33:51
Article from www.theguardian.com