Albanese forced to sanction Israeli ministers: now impose full sanctions on Israel!
Anthony Albanese, Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben Gvir.
Image credit: (Left) Australian Government, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons; (Centre) Avi Ohayon / Government Press Office of Israel, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons; (Right) אלון נוריאל, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
The sanctions Australia has placed on Israeli Ministers Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben Gvir are a victory for the Palestinian people and the Palestine solidarity movement. But Israel must face comprehensive sanctions on weapons and trade to force it to end its genocide.
Albanese has been forced to act after dismissing previous calls for action, saying Australia “isn't a major player” in the Middle East.
Sanctions have been a consistent demand of the Palestine solidarity movement for over 600 days of genocide.
Penny Wong has made mealy-mouthed excuses for inaction by Australia again and again. But she has now signed a joint statement saying sanctions have been imposed on two Israeli Ministers “to hold those responsible to account.” This is an admission that previous inaction was a choice.
But limited sanctions on individual ministers alone will not stop Israel’s genocide.
Israel could not carry out its genocidal onslaught in Gaza, continue its use of starvation as a weapon of war and pursue Trump's plan to displace Gaza’s population without trade, arms and intelligence provided by its allies.
Australia is a key US ally. A move from Australia to sanction arms exports to Israel would have global impact, given its existing sanctions were imposed jointly with Canada, New Zealand, Norway and the United Kingdom.
Australia continues to export components that are used in Israel’s F-35 fighter jets. The Israeli Defence Force has been photographed with the lethal R400 weapon system from Canberra based company Electro Optic Systems and the Dronegun MK4 weapons system made by Australian company Droneshield. Australia’s exports to Israel in 2024 totalled around $212m and included supplies of vital resources like coal.
Australia must immediately end two-way arms trade with Israel, including trade in weapons components. It must sever all economic ties with Israel, end the supply of intelligence to Israel via the Pine Gap Pine base and expel the Israeli ambassador.
The Palestine solidarity movement has forced open a crack in the Albanese government’s support for Israel; now it must redouble its efforts and fight until its full demands are met.
Stop the War on Palestine will hold a protest tour of genocide collaborating companies calling for sanctions on Israel, 1pm on Saturday July 12 in Sydney CBD. The protest will start at arms manufacturer BAE Systems’ office 175 Liverpool St, then march to the Defence Department 320 Pitt St, then to shipping company Maersk 44 Market St.