Australia’s first Muslim Cabinet minister Ed Husic makes controversial comment about Palestine that will ‘make people very uncomfortable’
Australia’s first Muslim minister warned Palestinians are being ‘collectively punished’ as Israel launches a massive retaliation against Hamas.
Industry and Science Minister Ed Husic spoke about the Gaza crisis during an interview with Pat Karvelas on ABC Radio National on Thursday, saying some Australians may find his comments “uncomfortable”.
He repeatedly condemned the actions of the Hamas terror group, which carried out a brutal massacre of Israelis on October 7 and reignited the long-running conflict, but said Palestinians in Australia were left feeling that their lives were being seen as “less than”.
“Israel has described what happened on October 7 as the Israeli equivalent of September 11,” the labor minister said.
“The number of Palestinians killed so far (since then) is equivalent to the number of people killed in 9/11. We don’t see public landmarks lit in red, black, white and green in Australia.
‘There will be people who feel very uncomfortable with me making this comment, but it goes to the heart of what Palestinians, and those who care for them in Australia, think; that is, Palestinian lives are considered inferior.
Industry and Science Minister Ed Husic spoke about the Gaza crisis during an interview with Pat Karvelas on ABC RN on Thursday, saying some Australians may find his comments “uncomfortable”.
Ed Husic is the MP for parts of Western Sydney including Rooty Hill, Doonside, parts of Blacktown and Mount Druitt. He has been praised for his frank assessment of the crisis
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Mr Husic described the situation in Gaza as a “humanitarian crisis”, with up to 1,000 children among the victims.
‘Houses, schools, medical centers destroyed. No food, fuel, medicine or water (in Gaza). It is no surprise that some people say this is collective punishment,” he said.
Mr Husic was asked to confirm whether he also believed that Palestinians were being punished for Hamas’ crimes.
“I strongly believe that the Palestinians here are being collectively punished for the barbarity of Hamas,” he said.
‘We leave intergenerational scars. The rest of us will go on with our lives, but the people of the Middle East will carry those scars with them.
“There must be a more strategic and precise way to hold Hamas accountable, without hurting innocent Palestinian families.”
He repeatedly condemned the actions of the terrorist group Hamas, which carried out a brutal massacre of Israelis on October 7 and reignited an ongoing conflict, but said Palestinians in Australia were left feeling that their lives were “considered less than”.
The Labor Party has condemned Hamas and repeatedly said Israel has the right to defend itself. An amended motion introduced by the Greens in the House of Representatives earlier this week to accuse Israel of war crimes was quickly defeated.
Mr Husic is one of the few Labor politicians to have stepped outside the party line since the latest bloodshed broke out.
He condemned the language used by Israeli figures – who he said had described Palestinians as “human animals” and referred to “collateral damage” – and urged all politicians to reflect on the way they approach the conflict spoke.
“The language that people in decision-making positions use not only impacts wider communities, but also shapes the way decisions are made,” he said.
‘We must avoid political grandstanding… Parliamentarians must be on the front line and show through our actions that if we believe in social cohesion, we must do our best to maintain it.’
Mr. Husic said he supported Israel’s right to defend itself, but also noted the tragic loss of life reported from Gaza.
A recent attack on a hospital in Gaza killed more than 500 people. The victims included hundreds of civilians, children, the elderly and the sick.
Australia’s first Muslim minister has noted the humanitarian crisis unfolding in Gaza as Israel launches a massive retaliation for Hamas’ brutal attacks on October 7
Neither side will claim responsibility for the attack. Israel this week warned hospitals to evacuate ahead of the attacks, but claims a Hamas-linked terror group fired a rocket, hitting the hospital.
Mr. Husic said the Israeli government has a responsibility to ensure that significant efforts are made to protect civilian lives in the event of any retaliatory attacks.
“Governments are different from terrorist organizations,” he said. “There is a higher expectation that there will be protection for innocent lives.
‘Governments have resources at their disposal to ensure that the protection of human lives can take place.’