Exclusive: Labor Friends of Palestine to move three ‘urgency resolutions’ at weekend conference, but PM maintains no immediate plans for the move
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Victorian Labor members will use this weekend’s state conference to demand the federal government “immediately” recognise a Palestinian state and impose sanctions on Israel – in what will be their strongest push to date on the issue.
It comes after Anthony Albanese on Sunday described civilian deaths in Gaza as “indefensible” but reiterated he had no immediate plans to recognise a Palestinian state and insisted further steps were needed to reach a two-state solution.
Labor Friends of Palestine, an internal campaign group, will move three “urgency resolutions” at the Victorian state conference on Saturday – the first large gathering of party members since May’s federal election.
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The motions call on the federal government to recognise a Palestinian state in this term of office, expand existing sanctions on two Israeli ministers to “all executive members” of the Israeli government – including the prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, and end all direct and indirect military trade with Israel.
They also urge the government to abide by the international court of justice’s 2024 ruling that Israel’s occupation and settlement activity is unlawful by conducting a comprehensive public review of all “military, economic and political” ties with Israel to ensure “no Australian entities are providing aid or assistance … in the commission of unlawful acts”.
The motions also call for the protection of civil liberties, including the right to protest, in response to proposed Victorian laws and a plan by the antisemitism envoy, Jillian Segal, to strip funding from universities and arts bodies that fail to address antisemitism.
They also demand the safe and unimpeded delivery of emergency humanitarian aid to Gaza, increased funding to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (Unrwa) and the introduction of a permanent humanitarian visa and scholarship program.
The Victorian convenor of Labor Friends of Palestine, Oliver van Ingen, said the motions were the “strongest Palestine resolutions ever brought to Victorian Labor”.
“There is a huge groundswell of support in the party and the broader community. Albanese is correct to call Israel’s actions ‘completely indefensible’, and these actions must be met by a strong international response,” van Ingen said.
Guardian Australia understands the resolutions have been developed in consultation with supportive unions and are expected to pass. About 600 delegates – split evenly between party members and affiliated unions – will vote.
While non-binding on state or federal Labor MPs, they represent one of the most effective ways for rank-and-file members and unions to influence party policy.
At last year’s state conference, six motions were passed calling for an end to the Israel-Hamas war, recognition of Palestinian statehood and for the Victorian government to scrap a memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed with Israel’s Ministry of Defence in 2022. The MoU was ultimately allowed to lapse, after sustained internal and public pressure.
A separate motion by Labor Friends of Palestine – calling for sanctions on the Netanyahu government and an end to military ties with Israel – has already been adopted by more than 80 branches across Australia since June, including 16 in Victoria.
The group joined former foreign minister Bob Carr and Labor MP Ed Husic on Friday in urging Albanese to follow France’s example by pledging to recognise a Palestinian state.
Speaking on ABC’s Insiders program on Sunday, Albanese said recognising a Palestinian state – a longstanding part of Labor’s policy platform – was not imminent.
He citied concerns around ensuring Hamas would be excluded from any future state, how such a state would operate without threatening Israel’s existence and what role the Palestinian Authority would play.
But van Ingen argued Palestine should be recognised “as a matter of urgency” to “guard against any further illegal reductions in their territory”.
“This decision cannot be contingent on a nonexistent peace process,” van Ingen said.
Labor Against War, another state movement within the party, will introduce motions urging the federal government to launch an independent parliamentary inquiry into Aukus and to remove references to the pact from the party’s national platform.
Members have until Tuesday to submit proposed urgency resolutions.
Source: www.theguardian.com