In 1949 Australia’s Dr H.V. Evatt was described as: “The most brilliant and effective voice of Small Powers – a leading statesman for the world’s conscience.” When will another Australian voice speak up in the name of humanity at the United Nations?
If the Australian Government valued its historic role in the establishment of the United Nations, maybe it would be in a better position to influence Israel and the United States to abide by globally agreed international standards. Instead, our leaders parrot the myth of a U.S ‘rules-based order’ created by the powerful to protect the already powerful and often ignoring the real United Nations developed system of international law.
Israel has not demonstrated any commitment to international law after the Hamas attack in October last year. As a close ally and friend, the Australian Government could have advocated for independent professional mediation, for the immediate return of Israeli hostages and referral of Hamas leaders to the International Criminal Court. But powerful nations are prone to rely on military retaliation, which greatly expands the conflict, fails to resolve the initial crisis and devastates already vulnerable communities. Australia chose instead to advocate for Israel’s ‘right to defend itself.
Since 1949, the State of Israel has ignored 229 United Nations Security Council resolutions that had the potential to limit conflict in the Middle East. Instead, Israel has chosen to build and strengthen its military power, confident that its great protector, the United States, will always be there to support the state with financial resources and weapons. This has created an isolationist and defensive culture for the Israeli people and a hostile reactive environment from their immediate neighbours.
For the past twelve months we have watched the contradictions of the U.S administration urging restraint and a ceasefire, while continuing to supply and increase the defence aid it guarantees Israel. Has the Australian Prime Minister dared to suggest a U.S freeze on funding to Israel until a negotiated settlement is determined? Remember both the U.S and Australia were quick to freeze United Nations Relief Works Assistance funding to desperate Palestinians, because of a later discredited link to Hamas. However neither the United States nor Australian leaders appear to recognise that their practical and moral support of Israel makes them complicit in the war they have enabled to continue and recently expand.
Could it have been different? Israel as a nation was itself a creation of the United Nations and the Australian Government had a significant role when “Partition “was negotiated and supported by the fledgling organisation. On November 29, 1947, the United Nations General Assembly voted 33 to 13 with 10 abstentions and one state absent to partition Mandatory Palestine into two states-one Jewish and one Arab. The Chifley Government’s Minister for External Affairs , Dr H.V. Evatt was a strong advocate for Australia’s support and, as Chair of the Ad Hoc Committee on the Palestine Question, he led negotiations which resulted in the State of Israel. He was President of the United Nations General Assembly when the historic May 1949 vote admitted Israel as the 59th member of the United Nations.
Given this early history, successive Australian Governments should have been more proactive in urging Israel to work within the United Nations, rather than constantly ignoring and deriding it. Of course, blame also rests with the United States which shares comparable disregard for the international body as it asserts its determination to dominate global relations.
The recent speech given by Prime Minister Netanyahu attacking the United Nations as ‘a swamp of antisemitism’ and his subsequent banning the entry of U.N Secretary General Guterres to Israel, shows us a man out of control and desperate to justify the extremes of his murderous regime.
In the last twelve months Israel has become a pariah state widely condemned for war crimes, genocide and ruthless disregard for humanity. Yet on the anniversary of the October 7 attack the Australian Government failed to outline how and when it will respond to comply with its own agreed obligations as a United Nations member state and signatory to legal instruments designed to uphold international law. Rulings of the International Court of Justice have been ignored by both the Australian Prime Minister and our Attorney General. There has been no statement to parliament or even a media release to explain to the public how Australia will respond to the ICJ ruling of July 19 that Israel is violating the rights of Palestinians through prolonged occupation, apartheid and ethnic cleansing. Furthermore, the ICJ specifically found that states have an obligation not to render aid or assistance which would maintain Israel’s illegal presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
Despite this clear legal ruling , the Australian Government managed to cobble together an excuse for abstaining while the United Nations General Assembly voted in support 124-14. It appears no official analysis or discussion has been initiated by Australia ‘s Attorney Generals Department to consider how Australia plans to walk its way through this legal challenge. How will it vote next time the United Nations General Assembly calls on member states to show their unconditional support for the rule of law in the interest of all humanity?
The Foreign Minister has disregarded calls to develop an Australian Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Plan for Gaza, the West Bank and now Lebanon. When will the Defence Minister face the reality that Australians in defence industries are continuing to be part of the Israeli war machine responsible for thousands of Palestinian and Lebanese deaths and injuries? The role of Australia’s Pine Gap is top secret, but we can be sure its global technology is contributing to support Israel’s war with little scrutiny from Australian officials. Is the Immigration Minister investigating if any Australian- Israeli dual citizens are among the 1000 Israel Defence Force members referred to the International Criminal Court for war crimes? And will Australia’s Health Minister- such a staunch supporter of “Israel’s Right to Defend itself “- be developing an Australian Health Assistance Plan for Palestine and Lebanon to restore the wellbeing of all those civilians targeted by the Israel Defence Force?
Perhaps it is now official that the Australian Government has surrendered to Israel’s rule of terror, and we can only watch from the sidelines for further catastrophe?
In 1949 Australia’s Dr H.V. Evatt was described as:
“The most brilliant and effective voice of Small Powers- a leading statesman for the world’s conscience.”
When will another Australian voice speak up in the name of humanity at the United Nations?
Margaret Reynolds has a long commitment to the peace movement dating back to the Anti-Vietnam Moratorium to current advocacy against militarism as National President of Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom.(Australia )
She was a Labor Senator for Queensland 1983-1999 and a member of Bob Hawke’s Ministry 1987-1990. She taught Human Rights and International Relations at University of Queensland 1999-2004 and has worked with a number of international non-government organisations.