Australian Prime Minister Condemns Senator’s Allegations of Genocide in Israel
The senator, the first Afghan-Australian Muslim woman in parliament, made a surprising decision to go against her party’s stance on Gaza issues.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has criticized a Labor senator’s recent comments about the “genocide” committed by the Israeli government.
May 15 is known to many Palestinians as Nakba Day, or Catastrophe Day, which commemorates Israel’s declaration of independence in 1948 and the displacement of some Palestinians.
Ms. Payman described the Israeli government’s military actions following Hamas’ attack on Oct. 7 as genocide and questioned why her party didn’t share the same view.
“My conscience has been troubled for too long, and I must speak out about this—this is genocide, and we can’t ignore it,” she stated to reporters.
“I ask our prime minister and fellow parliamentarians, how many international laws does Israel have to break before we speak up?”
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“How many lives must be lost before we acknowledge this as genocide?”
The WA senator then called on the Labor government to impose sanctions on Israeli entities and recognize a Palestinian state.
“From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free,” she asserted.
Ms. Payman used a slogan commonly heard in pro-Palestinian and anti-Israel demonstrations.
Prime Minister’s Response
On May 16, Mr. Albanese stated that Ms. Payman’s remarks were inappropriate.
“Advocating for a single state is not in the best interests of Israelis or Palestinians. It could lead to significant conflict and suffering.”
While acknowledging the pain caused by the conflict between Israel and Hamas, Mr. Albanese highlighted the trauma experienced by Jewish Australians due to rising antisemitism in the country.
“Many Jewish Australians have faced trauma from antisemitism, with people wrongly targeting them for the actions of the Netanyahu Government,” he explained.
Mr. Albanese also condemned the recent attacks on Jewish individuals in Australia.
Meanwhile, the Australian Jewish Association criticized Ms. Payman’s remarks and called on the Labor Party to take action against her.
This week, the Australasian Union of Jewish Students (AUJS) expressed concerns about the discrimination, intimidation, and harassment faced by Jewish students in Australian universities during pro-Palestine protests.
The AUJS claimed that the government has not adequately addressed the issue or ensured the safety of Jewish students.
“As a result, Jewish students are at a significantly higher risk than they were a year ago.”
