Middle East unrest: On the supply of aid to Gaza, Australia sides with Hamas over Israel

West Australian

4 days ago

Overnight, Penny Wong and 27 other foreign ministers condemned Israel over shortages of food and water in the Gaza Strip so severe that Palestinians brave gunfire to save themselves and their families from starvation.
The Gazans' plight is an outrage against humanity. But it might be fair to ask whether Ms Wong and her counterparts are playing into a analysis of the conflict between Israel and its Muslim opponents that ignores a truth so obvious it should not need to be stated: Hamas can end a war it started at any time.
The lopsided approach is not only due to the enormous public pressure generated by haunting images of malnourished children. It acknowledges the reality of diplomatic influence. Hamas, a terrorist organisation that celebrates the murder of Jews, is almost immune to international public opinion. Israel would struggle to survive without US military aid and relies on less-visible support from the rest of the Western world.
Hamas, fighting a last-ditch effort to survive in Gaza, was delighted by the Western gesture of support against what it calls the 'fascist occupation government'. Israel's 'criminal goal' it said, was 'killing and humiliating Palestinians'.
That characterisation of Israel is shared by hundreds of protesters who gathered on the Parliament House forecourt in Canberra on Tuesday. The Australian government's rhetorical support did not satisfy them. They want a full break in diplomatic ties with Israel and sanctions against its leading ministers, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Some held signs that said: 'Albo - Wong Accessories to Genocide'.
Israel's failure to provide the basics of life to Gaza is one of the terrible consequences of a war it did not start. The Israeli government decided it would no longer work with the United Nations food distribution network because the aid, it said, was falling under Hamas's control.
Israel set up its own system, the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, which isn't functioning properly. A Wall Street Journal reporter last Tuesday watched food being issued at Khan Younis in the south of the strip.
Thousands of Palestinians surged forward when a barbed-wire fence was opened to an aid centre. American security contractors tried to keep control but couldn't hold back the crowd. As gunshots rang out, the food was looted in 15 minutes of chaos.
The reporter couldn't work out who was shooting, but wrote that the aid workers rely on Israeli soldiers for protection. That places hungry Palestinian men in proximity of nervous armed Israeli soldiers, who don't have non-lethal arms to protect themselves against perceived threats.
Ms Wong and the other foreign ministers wrote that over 800 Palestinians have died seeking aid. The figure comes from Hamas officials and is disputed by Israel.
The situation is exacerbated by the refusal of Mr Netanyahu's right-wing government to allow a new government to emerge in Gaza. With their agreement, the Palestinian Authority could return from the West Bank or non-Hamas Gazans could take power.
Instead, the territory is left in anarchy while Israel tries to eradicate Hamas and find the 20 hostages estimated to have survived 715 days in captivity. 'We control Gaza,' former prime minister Ehud Olmert told the New York Times. 'It's incumbent upon us to make sure that the proper arrangements are made.'
While disappointed in Ms Wong's position, Australian Jewish leaders also expressed concerns about the lack of food in Gaza. At the same time, they believe Hamas has to lose its control over the strip's food supply to be properly defeated.
'I share the government's concern about the delivery of aid and humanitarian suffering in Gaza,' Zionist Federation of Australia president Jeremy Leibler said on Tuesday. 'The practical reality is that Hamas hijacks aid and uses it to extort its own people. Hamas intentionally interferes with alternative aid delivery mechanism for this very reason – it is their last remaining leverage.'
Israel deserves criticism. But too many critics in Australia and elsewhere refuse to acknowledge the Jewish state has rights too, including to defend itself.
By emphasising the actions of one side, the critics oversimplify a complex conflict and contribute to an environment in which self-righteous activists feel emboldened to harass Jews, including some of those leaders willing to accept their opponents' arguments.