Community groups representing thousands of South Australians appalled at Foreign Minister’s response to Rafah massacre in Gaza

The Australian Friends of Palestine Association (AFOPA), SA’s Palestinian Community organisation Glimmer of Hope, Health Workers for Palestine Adelaide, Adelaide Sisters Association and the Islamic Society of South Australia condemn this morning’s statement by Australia’s Foreign Minister, Penny Wong about the Israeli massacre of over 45 people in Rafah. Minister Wong has repeated Israeli propaganda that blames civilian deaths on Hamas rather than the brutal actions of the Israeli military.

Israel dropped a 2000lb bomb on people sleeping in their tents in an Israeli designated safe zone. Children were burnt to death and scores injured with no prospect of medical assistance, because Israel has destroyed almost all of Gaza’s medical facilities and killed hundreds of medical and aid workers.

Even Israel’s staunch allies, Canada and France have managed to convey outrage at the massacre in Rafah and have demanded an immediate ceasefire.

The Australian Government has failed to endorse the International Court of Justice’s (ICJ) call for an end to the Israeli attacks; it has failed to endorse the ICJ finding that Israel is committing a plausible genocide in Gaza. Minister Wong has barely shifted from previous meaningless and pathetic requests of Israel that it should refrain from its behaviour.

Israel is acting beyond International Law. The only way to get Israel to stop its behaviour is to boycott it, divest from it, and sanction it.

We demand the following:

• That the Australia Government issues an unequivocal condemnation of this latest Israeli attack on Gaza and calls for an immediate and permanent ceasefire

• That unfettered humanitarian aid immediately is allowed into Gaza

• That our government imposes sanctions on Israel

• That our government recalls the Australian ambassador to Israel and expels the Israeli Ambassador to Australia

• That Australia establishes an arms embargo on Israel and all defense materiel produced in Australia is banned from being sent to Israel

• An end to the occupation and apartheid.