Cracks open up in Anthony Albanese’s cabinet over Israel-Hamas war as one of his top ministers backs local council flying a Palestinian flag outside its office: ‘So many bodies of dead babies’
One of the Albanian government’s top ministers is the latest to break ranks with Australia’s steadfast support for Israel and throw its support behind the Palestinians amid the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
Tony Burke, Minister of Employment and Industrial Relations and Minister of the Arts, posted a video of an interview with ABC Radio’s National Breakfast host Patricia Karvelas on Friday in which he supported a local council’s decision to fly the flag of Palestine outside its offices to let it flutter.
“I fully support the decision of the Canterbury-Bankstown Council to raise the Palestinian flag, and this is why,” the caption on the video read.
The City of Canterbury-Bankstown has voted to display the Palestinian flag outside council offices until a ceasefire is declared in Palestine.
In the interview, Ms. Karvelas asked Mr. Burke whether he supported the move, to which he replied: “I fully support the decision.”
“You have to understand that in my part of Sydney people are watching death every day. They look at everyday images, sometimes of people they know, often of children,” he said.
Mr Burke is a member for Watson, which covers the western suburbs of Sydney.
“A professional woman said to me the other day that she has never seen so many bodies of dead babies in her life,” he said.
“When I go through the suburbs opposite Belmore, Lakemba, where I live in Punchbowl, to Bankstown, almost everyone knows someone who has lost someone.”
Mr Burke said until the Canterbury-Bankstown City Council made the decision to raise the Palestinian flag, “there was no recognition anywhere in Australia that these colors were worthy of mourning.”
In support of the Palestinians, Mr Burke said: ‘We cannot say that we only mourn certain people who are being slaughtered’
Mr Burke emphasized that the flag was not the flag of Hamas, but that of Palestine, and that “gives the opportunity for there to be recognition and not selective grief.”
“We cannot say that we only mourn certain people who have been slaughtered. “We cannot have a situation as a nation where we only formally recognize certain deaths,” he said.
Meanwhile, a leading Australian Jewish body has criticized Ms Karvelas and Mr Burke for “fostering the idea” that Palestinians were victims of a genocide during Friday’s interview.
The minister was asked by Karvelas whether he considers the treatment of Palestinians in Gaza an act of genocide.
Mr. Burke said he would “rather describe the facts” and leave it to listeners to “find their own words.”
Alex Ryvchin, co-director of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, said the interview was a clear example of how “language matters and leadership matters”, adding the council “expects better”.
‘Genocide is not a buzzword. It is the most heinous crime a nation can commit and involves the deliberate extermination of an ethnic group,” Ryvchin said.
“It is highly irresponsible for a respected journalist to give credence to the claim and for a minister to even entertain this idea.”
Mr Burke is the third member of the Albanian government to express support for the Palestinians in recent weeks.
Senior federal minister Ed Husic said last week that Palestinians are being “collectively punished for the barbarism of Hamas” in a bold statement condemning Israel’s reprisals in Gaza.
Federal Minister Ed Husic (center) said last week that Palestinians are being ‘collectively punished for the barbarity of Hamas’
Western Australian Labor MP Anne Aly immediately backed Husic, saying it was “difficult to argue” that Palestinians, including the 1,000 murdered children, were not being “collectively punished”.
Aly, the early childhood education minister, suggested Israel could be investigated for war crimes.
However, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese supported US President Joe Biden in his support for Israel during an extensive state dinner this week.
President Biden welcomed Mr. Albanese to the White House on Thursday, highlighting the two countries’ alliance against the backdrop of violence in Israel and Ukraine.
“Together we stand with Israel against Hamas terrorism. We stand with Ukraine against Putin’s tyranny,” Biden said.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese (on the right in the photo with Boe Biden) stood next to the American president during an extensive state dinner this week in his support for Israel
From left to right: Jodie Haydon, Anthony Albanese, Joe Biden and Jill Biden at a state dinner this week
Before the Oval Office meeting, Mr. Albanese praised Mr. Biden’s involvement in the Israel-Gaza war in a speech to several thousand people on the South Lawn outside.
“All Australians condemn the atrocities, terror and ruthless brutality of Hamas,” he said.
“And Mr. President, we applaud the personal resolve you have brought to this troubled part of the world.”
Meanwhile, pro-Israel supporters lashed out at Melbourne’s Federation Square on Friday after about nine Palestinian flags were raised at the popular city landmark.
It is not yet known who raised the flags.
A ‘vigil for Gaza’ will be held at Federation Square from 7pm, organized by the Australia Palestine Advocacy Network, Casey Friends of Palestine and Free Palestine Melbourne, according to a Facebook event.
Since Hamas’ surprise attack on October 7, Israel has waged a brutal campaign against the terrorist group in the besieged Gaza Strip.
According to the Hamas-run Health Ministry, more than 7,000 Palestinian civilians are estimated to have been killed so far, while the rest of Gaza’s more than two million residents face a serious, ongoing humanitarian crisis.