Stop playing politics. Call it out as genocide

The Age

4 days ago

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PALESTINE
Like many Australians and others all around the world, I find it hard to eat and watch TV these days. Starving Palestinian children scream hysterically as they try to get food from aid people. A father who hasn't eaten for four days tells of his trauma trying to feed his children, and life ebbs from a 13-year-old boy shot as he tried to access food for his starving family.
Calling out a war criminal is not being antisemitic, nor is calling genocide genocide. It's being moral and ethical and showing leadership and not being complicit in genocide. We ask our politicians to please call it for what it is, not play politics with the health and lives of innocent people.
They called out Hamas. Now they need to call out those, who, in claiming to be defending themselves from the terrorist Hamas, are starving and slaughtering innocent people, including the most vulnerable. Then they need to follow up with action.
Meryl Tobin, Grantville
Australia must act decisively on sanctions
Australia's recent diplomatic posturing rings hollow in the face of our ongoing complicity in Israel's brutal campaign against Palestinians. Recognition or statements of concern mean little while Israel continues to commit grave breaches of international law – starving Gaza's population, bombing refugee camps, and expanding illegal settlements with impunity.
Australia cannot credibly support a rules-based international order while ignoring the International Court of Justice's finding that Israel plausibly stands accused of genocide. Nor can we justify normalising or encouraging the normalisation of relations with a regime under investigation for genocide and apartheid.
Palestinian rights – particularly the right to self-determination – must not be held hostage to the 'security concerns' of their oppressor. This framing inverts justice and places victims under permanent probation.
Australia must act decisively: implement sanctions on Israel as we have on Russia, impose a two-way arms embargo, end trade and military cooperation and support international accountability mechanisms. To do less is to continue aiding and abetting a rogue state's destruction of a people.
John O'Rourke, Carlton North
Unilateral recognition of Palestinian an empty gesture
Prime Minister Albanese is being very careful with the recognition of a Palestine state. He is right, he knows Hamas can't be excluded in any decision about a Palestinian state, and there needs to be a way to ensure such a state operates appropriately and does not threaten the existence of Israel, and that Israel itself learns to live in peace with its neighbour.
This is easier said than done, the history of this conflict doesn't bode well for such an agreement, too much blood on terrorist attacks and genocidal retaliations has been spilled by the two parties. Without confronting these challenges, unilateral recognition of a Palestinian state by countries such as France, Canada and the UK is only an empty gesture not conducive to a stable two-state solution.
George Fernandez, Eltham North
THE FORUM
To do list
With such a huge parliamentary majority, now is the time for Anthony Albanese to take a couple of bold actions that are desperately needed.
Firstly, a total ban on all gambling advertising. This will be ferociously resisted by the gambling industry. There's no point consulting with them – we know exactly what they will say and why.
Objections will also come from organisations that benefit from the revenue. They have grown dependent on it, but they can find other income if they have to. Everybody else will be delighted to see this happen.
Secondly, announce a referendum for fixed, four-year terms for federal parliament. The only objectors will be a few politicians (mostly conservative) who want to be able to manipulate the election date for their own benefit. This referendum would get the biggest 'yes' vote in Australian history.
If these reforms can't be undertaken now, then when could they?
Geoff Dalton, East Malvern
Ambassador vacancy
I honestly don't know what all the fuss is about regarding the federal opposition's concerns about the present Trump administration not appointing an ambassador. During President Trump's first term in the White House, Australia was left without an ambassador for more than two years, during which time we had two prime ministers, Malcolm Turnbull and Scott Morrison – both Liberal.
Considering the facts that President Trump has become even more belligerent and unstable, has basically destroyed any trust that allies of the US ever had and cosied up to authoritarian regimes – to say nothing of what his administration has destroyed within their own borders – it would be prudent to tread warily around this man. He changes his mind on a whim and has no regard for diplomacy or decency. The list of historic charges hanging over Trump are gargantuan yet here we are, giving him the kid-glove treatment.
David Legat, South Morang
Back in public hands
No doubt there will be howls of outrage from the usual suspects in the Coalition and from industry about union proposals to bring public transport back into government control and ownership (″⁣ Melbourne's trains should move back into public hands to get a better deal for commuters, says union ″⁣, 1/8).
The simple question these opponents can be asked is to name a government enterprise that has been privatised and gone on to produce better and cheaper outcomes for consumers. They will struggle. The list of failures is long. Energy being the most obvious example, an unmitigated disaster for consumers. Banking and insurance are others where the existence of state-owned enterprises we once enjoyed put a price cap on the private companies. If opponents are unable to give a positive privatisation example then they should get out of the way and let public services return to public hands.