AFOPA’s 2025 federal election campaign Make Your Vote Count for Palestine
AFOPA’s letter to Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, Foreign Affairs Minister, Penny Wong, Leader of the Opposition, Peter Dutton and Leader of the Australian Greens, Adam Bandt
A similar letter was sent to all the above politicians. Click here for a PDF of this letter
The survey questions we have asked the above politicians to complete
Australian Friends of Palestine Association
Policies relating to the Palestinian people
The Australian Friends of Palestine Association (AFOPA) is an Adelaide based, not-for-profit organisation that advocates for equality and justice for Palestinians in their homeland.
We are seeking information on your Party’s policies in relation to Palestine-Israel using this questionnaire. This information will be provided to AFOPA’s substantial membership and support base to assist their decision-making in the 2025 Federal Election.
1.Did your Party call for an immediate and permanent ceasefire in Gaza?
Yes
No
If yes, please provide the date:
2.Has your Party called for Palestinian Statehood?
Yes
No
Comment
3.Has your Party supported South Africa’s genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ)?
Yes
No
Comment
4.Does your Party recognise that Israel is an apartheid state?
Yes
No
Comment
5.Has your Party endorsed the ICJ ruling of 26 January 2024, that Palestinians in Gaza have plausible rights under the Genocide Convention, meaning that they are at real risk of irreparable damage by Israel?
Yes
No
Comment
6.Has your Party agreed with the ICJ Advisory Opinion of 19 July 2024 and the Subsequent Resolution of the UN General Assembly of 18 September 2024 that Israel must immediately end its illegal occupation of the Occupied Palestinian Territories?
Yes
No
Comment
7.Will your Party enforce arrest warrants issued by the International Criminal Court for Israel’s Prime Minister and Defence Minister?
Yes
No
Comment
8.Has your Party complied with the ICJ ruling that all States have an obligation to not render assistance to Israel to maintain it’s illegal presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
Yes
No
Comment
9.Will your party end all weapons and weapon components manufacturing contracts with Israel as well as collaboration on military research and intelligence?
Yes
No
Comment
10.Does your Party endorse UN General Resolution 37/43 that occupied people have a right to resist occupying forces by any and all lawful means, including armed resistance?
Yes
No
Comment
11.Does your Party affirm that criticism of Israel is not anti-semitic?
Yes
No
Comment
12.Does your Party support the IHRA Working Definition of anti-semitism?
Yes
No
Comment
13.Has your Party condemned Islamophobia and anti-Palestinianism?
Yes
No
Comment
14.Has/will your Party cut diplomatic, military, economic, trade, cultural and sporting ties with Israel in order to compel it to end its occupation and dismantle its apartheid regime?
Yes
No
Comment
15.Does your Party believe that University students have a right to freedom of assembly and freedom of speech in relation to Gaza and Occupied Palestine?
Yes
No
Comment
AFOPA’s Demands of the Australian Government
A temporary ceasefire is welcomed, but it’s far from enough, and it’s not justice for the Palestinian people.
It is not justice for a genocide; It is not justice for the 17-year inhumane siege of Gaza; It is not justice for 57 years of savage, illegal occupation; And it is not justice for eight decades of cruel apartheid, war crimes and crimes against humanity.
The Australian Government must:
Demand a permanent ceasefire in Gaza and lifting of the 17-year land, sea and air blockade.
Pressure its ally, Israel, to facilitate unrestricted access to abundant humanitarian aid into Gaza.
Compel Israel to reverse its ban on UNRWA and condemn the devastating impacts, for the 6 million Palestinian refugees and the victims of this genocide, which Israel has created.
Take immediate action against Israel’s unrelenting and escalating ethnic cleansing of Palestinians in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, including the most recent intensification of killings and destruction in refugee camps.
Insist on the immediate and unconditional withdrawal of Israeli occupation forces from all the Occupied Palestinian Territories. [1]
Impose sanctions on Israeli for its genocide, illegal occupation and apartheid. [1]
Recognise Israel as an apartheid State and demand that it dismantles its Jewish supremacy policies and practices. [1]
Terminate all weapons and weapons components manufacturing contracts with Israel, including collaboration on military research and intelligence sharing. [1]
Lead collective international actions to enforce international Court rulings against Israel. [1]
Expel the Israeli Ambassador and recall Australia’s Ambassador to Israel.
End all diplomatic, military, economic, trade, cultural and sporting ties with Israel to compel the rogue State to end its illegal occupation and apartheid regime.
Enforce the arrest warrants issued by the ICC for Israel’s Prime Minister and former Defence Minister. [2]
Immediately recognise Palestinian statehood.
Affirm that criticism of Israel is not anti-semitic and push back against those who conflate criticism of Israel with anti-semitism.
Defend the rights of the Palestine solidarity movement to free speech, intellectual freedom and freedom to protest from those who seek to silence, smear and discredit advocates of justice, human rights and the application of international law equally to all people.
Acknowledge that the Israeli settler-colonial project of ethnic cleansing, occupation and apartheid are incompatible with Australian democratic values.
[1] On 29 December 2023, South Africa initiated a hearing at the the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in relation to alleged violations under the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide (The Genocide Convention) in relation to Palestinians in Gaza.
The ICJ concluded that it is plausible that Israel’s actions in Gaza would amount to genocide and issued provisional measures to prevent any acts contrary to the 1948 Genocide Convention.
On 19 July 2024 in a separate landmark ruling, the ICJ declared that Israel’s occupation of Gaza and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem is unlawful, along with the associated settlements, annexations of land and use of natural resources. The Count added that Israel’s legislation and measures violate the international prohibition on racial segregation and apartheid. The ICJ mandated Israel to end its occupation, dismantle its settlements, provide full repatriations to the Palestinian victims and facilitate the return of displaced people.
The Court added that the advisory opinions “should be seen as declaratory in nature and binding on Israel and all States supporting the occupation”.
The ICJ refuted the notion that Palestinians self-determination must be achieved solely through bilateral negotiations with Israel – a requirement that has subjected the Palestinians to violence, dispossession and rights violations for eight decades.
The Court reaffirmed the principle that ‘freedom from foreign military occupation, racial segregation and apartheid is absolutely non-negotiable”.
[2] On 20 May 2024 Prosecutor Karim A.A. Khan KC of the International Criminal Court filed arrest warrants for Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Minister for Defence Yoav Gallant, for bearing criminal responsibility for war crimes and crimes against humanity committed on the territory of the State of Palestine (in the Gaza strip) from at least 8 October 2023.
125 ICC member states are now required to arrest Netanyahu and Gallant if they enter their territory.
