Australian PM Disapproves of Senator’s ‘Genocide’ Comments on Israel

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese during interviews at Parliament House in Canberra, Australia, on May 15, 2024. Tracey Nearmy/Getty Images

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has criticised a Labor senator’s recent comments about “genocide” committed by the Israeli government.

On May 15, Western Australia (WA) Labor Senator Fatima Payman, the first Afghan-Australian Muslim woman in parliament, made a surprise move by going against her party’s stance on Gaza issues.

May 15 is what many Palestinians consider Nakba Day, or Catastrophe Day, which marks Israel’s declaration of independence in 1948 and the displacement of a portion of Palestinians.

Ms. Payman labelled the Israeli government’s military actions following the terrorist group Hamas’s Oct. 7 attack an act of genocide and questioned why her party did not agree with her.

“My conscience has been uneasy for far too long and I must call this out for what it is—this is a genocide, and we need to stop pretending otherwise,” she told reporters.

“I ask our prime minister and our fellow parliamentarians, how many international rights laws must Israel break for us to say enough?

“How many lives does it take to call this a genocide?”

The WA senator then urged the Labor government to impose sanctions on Israeli entities and recognise a Palestinian state.

“From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free,” she said.

Ms. Payman used the slogan that is often heard in pro-Palestinian and anti-Israel rallies.

Some UK politicians and political experts believe the slogan is antisemitic, as it has been linked to demands for the destruction of the state of Israel.

Prime Minister’s Response

On May 16, Mr. Albanese said Ms. Payman’s statement was inappropriate.

“What’s appropriate is a two-state solution. A two-state solution where both Israelis and Palestinians have the right to live in security, in peace and in prosperity,” he said.

“It is not in the interests of either Israelis or Palestinians to advocate there just be one state. That is a forerunner of enormous conflict and grief.”

While the prime minister acknowledged that the conflict between Israel and Hamas had caused “enormous grief” and had significant impacts on the people in the region, he said Jewish Australians had experienced trauma due to antisemitism in the country.

“That is a very traumatic occurrence, just as a lot of trauma is being experienced by Jewish Australians due to the rise in antisemitism that we’re seeing here, where people who happen to be Jewish are being held responsible for actions of the Netanyahu Government,” he said.

Mr. Albanese also condemned the actions of those who targeted Jewish people in Australia recently.

“I don’t believe that it is appropriate to target people because they happen to be Jewish.”

WA Senator Fatima Payman (R) attends a parliament session at Parliament House in Canberra, Australia, on July 26, 2022. STR/AFP via Getty Images

Meanwhile, the Australian Jewish Association has criticised Ms. Payman’s comments and urged the Labor Party to put pressure on her.

“It’s time for Prime Minister Albanese to show leadership and condemn her disgusting remarks. Anti-Jewish blood libels have no place in Australia,” the association said on social media.

This week, the Australasian Union of Jewish Students (AUJS) issued a statement raising concerns about the discrimination, intimidation, and harassment faced by Jewish students in many Australian universities amid a wave of pro-Palestine encampment protests.

The AUJS alleged that the government had not done much to address the problem and ensure the safety of Jewish students.

“Despite assurances these concerns would be addressed, Jewish students have seen no evidence of any decisive action by universities or government,” the statement said.

“As a result, Jewish students are significantly less safe than a year ago.”