Australian Opposition Leader Criticises Greens Motion That Accuses Israel of War Crimes

Leader of the Opposition Peter Dutton during a visit to A.H.Beard bedding manufacturer in Padstow, Sydney, Australia on May 2, 2023. AAP Image/Nikki Short

Australian Opposition leader Peter Dutton has criticised the decision of some Greens and Independent Teal MPs to condemn Israel’s actions during war and decried support for Hamas in Australia.

It comes after Prime Minister Anthony Albanese moved a motion on Monday that urged the government to stand with Israel, called for the release of Israeli hostages, and denounced the assault by the terrorist group.

“The evil committed by Hamas in Israel has chilled every Australian heart,” Mr. Albanese told the Parliament.

“This was no act of war against the army of an enemy. It was the slaughter of innocent people. It was an act of terror.”

However, Greens leader Adam Bandt led a motion to instead condemn Israel for launching a ground and air attack on the Gaza Strip and for the bombing of Palestinian civilians.

The amendment was supported by Greens MPs Elizabeth Watson-Brown, Max Chandler-Mather, and Stephen Bates as well as Teal Independents Kylea Tink, Andrew Wilkie, and Sophie Scamps.

Meanwhile, Teal MPs Monique Ryan, Allegra Spender, Zoe Daniel, and Kate Chaney backed Mr. Albanese’s calls to stand with Israel.

The Greens’ amendment was later defeated.

Mr. Dutton said he was “blown away” by the Greens and Teal MPs’ decision to criticise Israel’s attempts to defend itself.

The opposition leader noted that although there’s a wide range of views on the issue in the Labor Party, all of Labor MPS “lined up” and voted in favour of the prime minister’s initial motion.

“There was no person from Labor who abstained or voted against and yet the Teals decided to vote with the Greens, which is quite remarkable,” he told Melbourne’s radio 3AW on Tuesday.

Opposition Leader Criticised Hamas Sympathisers

Mr. Dutton said there are people in Australia who stand with Hamas and are involved in fundraising efforts.

“[There are] people who are Hamas sympathisers, and as we saw on the steps of the Sydney Opera House, people who chanted their support for the fact that young women have been killed and children abducted,” he said.

“Our troops have been in Afghanistan for many years fighting against a terrorist organisation because they hate the West, they hate our way of life, they hate the fact that we educate young girls, and that we treat women equally to men.”

“There'll be sympathisers and people here who are well connected. And I think that’s the reality for most Western nations.”

Mr. Dutton said Hamas was a terrorist organisation equivalent to ISIS.

Responding to U.S. President Joe Biden’s calls for Israel to exercise restraint, Mr. Dutton argued that Israel had a right to defend itself and “the Israeli people have a right to exist.” He added that Hamas is holding about 200 Israeli hostages.

The opposition leader also pointed to the “horrible photos” some days ago of Hamas terrorists holding up babies and toddlers that they abducted from their parents out of Israel.

“As we know, Hamas doesn’t represent the interests of the Palestinian people either because they’re advising people to remain in the Gaza strip at the moment and the likelihood of an action and troops on the ground there by Israel, I think, is inevitable,” he said.

“Telling the civilians to stay there in harm’s way is just another atrocity.”