Federal frontbencher Bill Shorten has criticised Monday night’s pro-Palestinian Sydney rally, calling out what he described as “anti-Semitic behaviour” as he joined his colleagues in condemning Hamas attacks on Israel.
Hundreds of pro-Palestine protesters marched on the Sydney Opera House and set off flares while chanting anti-Israeli and anti-Jewish rhetoric as the sails were lit up in the blue and white of the Israeli flag on Monday night.
It coincided with hundreds who gathered in a Melbourne synagogue to mourn the dead and pray for the captured.
In a continuation of a 75-year-long Arab-Israel conflict, more than 900 Israelis have been killed, thousands wounded and dozens abducted after the Islamist group attacked Israeli towns on Saturday.
Gaza’s Health Ministry said at least 687 Palestinians have been killed and 3,726 wounded in retaliatory air strikes by Israel.
Government Services Minister Bill Shorten has condemned what he describes as anti-Semitic chanting at a rally in Sydney. Source: AAP / Lukas Coch
Hamas militants have taken dozens Israelis hostage, with Reuters reporting on Tuesday the movement, which controls Gaza in the Palestine territories, plans to execute captives if civilian houses are bombed.
Shorten labelled anti-Jewish slogans being chanted at the gatherings in Sydney “disgusting” and said “some of the anti-Israel rhetoric has always been a mark of anti-Semitism”.
“It is un-Australian to attack someone because of what god they worship and … let’s call it what it is – it is anti-Semitism,” he told Nine’s Today show on Tuesday.
Foreign Minister Penny Wong was asked on ABC radio whether Israel was justified in cutting off electricity, food and fuel to Gaza.
“Israel has a right to defend itself. This was an abhorrent attack, and the taking of hostages, the attacks on civilians, the sorts of … awful images that we are seeing reminds us of the security situation that Israel confronts.
“This is a really dreadful situation and devastating loss of life.And I think we should be very clear that these attacks are abhorrent.”
The foreign minister said it was difficult for Australia to make judgements about other countries’ approaches to security.
“We’ve said Israel has the right to defend itself. But we also have a principal position which we would advocate … [which] is we would urge the protection of civilian life.”
Australians react to Israeli-Palestinian conflict
Speaking earlier at a rally of about 500 Palestine supporters at the Sydney Town Hall, Palestinian and academic Fahad Ali called on the words of South African apartheid activist Nelson Mandela, saying Palestine had been left with no choice but armed struggle.
“The world has done nothing to support us,” he said.
“Non-violent protest has been criminalised. Governments, including the government of this colonial entity that we call Australia, are tripping over themselves to outlaw boycott, divestment and sanctions on Israel.
Participants of a Free Palestine rally react as flares are lit outside the Sydney Opera House on Monday night. Source: AAP / Dean Lewins
“When all channels and peaceful protests had been barred to us, the decision was made to embark on violent forms of political struggle. We did so not because we desired such a course but solely because the government had left us with no other choice.”
In Melbourne, hundreds of people, including former federal treasurer Josh Frydenburg, gathered at Caulfield Shule for a vigil on Monday night.
Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles told them “Australia’s heart breaks” for them and described the Hamas attack as an act of terrorism.
On Monday Prime Minister Anthony Albanese called for the pro-Palestine rally to be called off out of respect for the loss of life.
“I support people’s right to demonstrate their views – we’re a democratic nation … But what is to be served apart from creating a climate that is not conducive to peace?” he told Sydney radio 2GB.
Declaring himself a supporter of the two-state solution, Mr Albanese said Hamas’ attack was not in the interests of Palestinians.
“There’s no doubt there has been and continues to be Palestinian suffering but the actions of Hamas in this are completely indefensible,” he said.
“Every effort should always be made to protect and not to harm civilians … But Israel, of course, does have a right to defend itself.”
Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has also defended Israel.
“People who try to draw a parallel or argue equivalence between Israeli activity in their retaliation for the strikes and the barbaric attacks that we’ve seen by Hamas – there is no comparison,” he told Sky News on Monday.
Elsewhere, Greens senator Mehreen Faruqi criticised the decision to illuminate Canberra’s Parliament House in blue and white in support of Israel on Monday night.
“One colonial government supporting another. What a disgrace,” she wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter.
