Media Release

Petition to Sanction Israel presented to Australian parliament

A petition calling on the Australian government to apply targeted sanctions and an arms embargo against Israel will be presented to the federal parliament on Monday Aug 9.

This petition of 21,990 signatures is one of the largest petitions on human rights and international law to be presented to the Australian parliament. It shows that Australian citizens want to see the rule of law applied equally by Australia in its sanctions regime which targets governments and individuals which perpetrate grave human rights abuses.

Due to Israel’s actions over many decades against Palestinians in the Occupied Palestinian Territory and in Israel and the diaspora, the Australian Government has a responsibility as a signatory to numerous international treaties to take action against Israel due to these grave violations of international law, which are also criminal offences under Australian law.

Mr Bruno di Biase, Principal Petitioner – Federation of Italian Migrant Workers and Families

“Despite the many UNHRC resolutions condemning Israel’s actions in occupied Palestinian lands, Israel continues to disregard them and continues its aggressive war of occupation against Palestine. This means that direct, non-violent actions such as sanctions are the only option left to people and governments in order to achieve any positive actions towards peace and recognition of Palestine’s sovereignty by Israel.”

Susan Connelly, Josephine Mitchell, Jan Barnett – Sisters of St Joseph
“Regardless of religion or ethnicity, all human beings can be scapegoats––the weak victimised by the strong. The Jewish people, indigenous peoples, catholics, protestants, muslims, atheists and others have all been victimised. Humanity has now woken up and realises that scapegoats are innocent. As a result, humans often play the victim, thus grotesquely giving themselves a self-righteous permission to scapegoat others––and we can all do it. The Jewish state is victimising Palestinians. Applying sanctions and an arms embargo to Israel is a necessary and civilised action in a world that must continue to resist the victimisation of others.”

Greg Barnes, SC – Australian Council for Free and Fair Speech

“Some Australian politicians led the way globally in arguing for the imposition of sanctions on apartheid South Africa, and rightly so. To fail to do so now in circumstances which clearly demonstrate that apartheid is being practised and in fact is embedded in the Israeli legal system would be shameful. Apartheid is not confined to South Africa.”

 Professor Peter Slezak – Deputy Convenor, BDS Australia
“Israel continues with impunity to perpetuate its long-standing violations of human rights and international law in their blockade of Gaza and brutal occupation of the West Bank. It’s a simple matter of conscience to support justice for Palestinians by targeted sanctions and an arms embargo.”

Emeritus Professor Stuart Rees OAM – Australian Council for Free and Fair Speech
“To speak without fear or favour on the human rights of Palestinians would display respect for the principles of free and fair speech, hence requests to MPs to speak to the ‘Israel Sanctions’ petition coming before parliament on Monday.”

Further information:

Sanction Israel petition, Australian government petition, May 2021
Sanctioning Israel: The Courage to Present Petition to Parliament, Aug 8, 2021
Palestine calls for arms embargo and sanctions at UN, May 16, 2021
A Threshold Crossed, Israeli authorities and the crimes of apartheid and persecution, Human Rights Watch Report, April 27, 2021