Why the Australian government should consider sanctions against Israel over humanitarian aid access
Following the October 7 attacks in Israel, the Australian government was quick to unequivocally condemn Hamas’ acts as brutal and inhumane. Both major parties backed the Israeli government’s call to eliminate the terrorist group, and the Albanese government rightly sanctioned the terrorism of militants.
But six months into the conflict, and with the eradication of Hamas seemingly still far from being a reality, it is time for Australia to change its tune.
Foreign Minister Penny Wong says: “ultimately peace, security for Israel will only be achieved if we have a Palestinian state alongside Israel”.Credit: Alex Ellinghausen
The killing of Zomi Frankcom and six of her co-workers took the death toll of aid workers in Gaza to more than 200. It underscores that provision of humanitarian assistance has been part of the battleground since the very start of this conflict.
In opposition, Foreign Minister Penny Wong secured amendments to ensure the Magnitsky Act covered breaches of international humanitarian law. They are the exact kind of breaches we now see Israeli officials committing on a daily basis. To be morally consistent with actions previously taken against Russia, Myanmar and Iran, and to uphold to amendments Wong herself pushed for, Australia must enforce targeted sanctions against Israel.
The evidence that the Israeli government is deliberately starving civilians in Gaza is unequivocal. At the outset of the war, Israeli ministers said they intended to deny aid to the enclave. Just 48 hours after Hamas’ attack, Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant said: “I have ordered a complete siege on the Gaza Strip. There will be no electricity, no food, no fuel, everything is closed … we are fighting human animals, and we are acting accordingly.”
Loading
The military has followed through with devastating effect. The amount of humanitarian assistance delivered by aid agencies has plummeted each day. Inevitably and predictably, people in Gaza began eating less and less, with many now eating less than one meal – if you can call it that – a day. Prices for the little food left in the territory have skyrocketed beyond reach for most. People have turned to eating grass and burning plastics for fuel. Accessing clean water has become increasingly difficult, and even when it is found, there is not enough for adequate hydration.
Even before October 7, the loads of 500 aid trucks a day were required to feed Gaza’s population of 2.3 million people. The number of trucks delivering aid has dropped to less than 100 trucks a day at certain points throughout the war.
In February, more than 100 people were killed and hundreds more injured after the Israeli military opened fire on Gazans waiting for food. In March, five Gazans were killed while waiting for US aid packages that were airdropped into the city. Despite the US government acknowledging airdrops are far from ideal, Israel’s increasing restrictions on humanitarian aid entering the region has left the US government with little other choice.
- For more: Elrisala website and for social networking, you can follow us on Facebook
- Source of information and images “brisbanetimes”“
