Sada-e-Watan
Sydney ™
sadaewatan@gmail.com
Honourable Prof. Bob Carr speaking
Some brief points and photos of Bexley / Barton FEC Arabic friends of Labor event of Tue, 28 Feb with Former Foreign Minister and Longest Serving Premier of NSW Hon. Bob Carr
Dear Readers of Sada e Watan,
Please find some photographs as well as dot point brief of our
event:
As you can see from the photos, the event attracted a large gathering
of members of the ALP and a cross section of the Multicultural communities, as
well as Arabic media representatives.
At this meeting three motions were
moved and unanimously adopted and to be debated at the next State ALP
Conference. See attachment.
As to Bob Carr’s message I can provide a brief
account of what he said:
• Bob acknowledged the attendance.
He said he was very much impressed with the community support for the
Palestinian cause and a just solution to the Palestinian people.
• He said
that the world has been conned by successive Israeli governments who stated
that they were in favour of a two state solution when in fact they continue to
build more and more illegal settlements to the point that there are now over
600,000 new settlers.
• He spoke of the far right Netanyahu government’s
lack of interest in a two state solution.
• He cited Israeli newspapers
talking about the apartheid conditions that apply in Israel’s occupied
territories and spoke of the terrible living conditions imposed on the
Palestinian people.
• He recalled, how as foreign minister, he fought
within cabinet with the then Prime Minister Julia Gillard over how Australia
ought to vote on the recognition of Palestine to the status of the Vatican. He
noted how even with that Julia Gillard refused to even accept Australia
abstaining from the vote. He reported his delight when his cabinet colleagues,
one after the other supported him and the decision was taken not to oppose but
to abstain.
• He spoke of the role of the Zionist Lobby in Australia and
the pressure they apply.
• He spoke of the Israeli embassy affair over
the forged passport and Kevin Rudd’s decision to expel an Israeli embassy
staffer.
• He noted how the Israeli lobby tried to paint some
Humanitarian support for the Palestinians in Gaza as somehow supporting
terrorists.
• He also spoke of the great support provided by Labor MPs at
state and Federal level for the motions at state and national Labor conferences
calling for greater opposition to settlements and now with the support of Labor
members we will move that Labor Recognise the State of Palestine at the next
state conference and thereafter at the next national Conference. This puts us n
line with 137 countries who support the right of the Palestinian people to a
state of their own.
• Finally he was critical of PM Malcolm Turnbull who
attacked the UNSC recent resolution stating that all settlements are illegal.
Bob said that even Trump told Netanyahu to ease off on settlements where as our
Prime Minister failed. That places Turnbull to the right of even Donald
Trump.
• He thanked the branches and the Arabic friends of Labor for
their tenacity and hard work and noted his delight to have former foreign
Minister Gareth Evans, former Prime Ministers Bob Hawk and Kevin Rudd support
the call for a recognition of Palestine Now.
As to my comments:
• To state the
obvious, all administrations were and are still staunchly Pro-Israel.
• The
United States remains a staunch ally and has consistently rejected
international sanctions against Israel.
• The United States’ unwillingness
to alter its position vis-vis Tel Aviv meant that Israel was under no
obligation to alter its own behaviour.
• Post 1978 Camp David accord however,
almost every U.S.A administration began to query Israeli settlements.
• From
President Carter onward the shift to some recognition of a Palestinian autonomy
began to develop. The actions of past Administrations show two things: 1. The
strength of support for Israel and 2, the beginnings of a shift toward the
rights of the Palestinian people to a nationhood.
• Our hopes were high with
Obama. He stood up to Benjamin Netanyahu and regularly urged Israel to
establish a moratorium on settlement expansion, but sadly during his presidency
there were three large-scale Israeli military onslaughts against the besieged
population of the Gaza Strip and as He was about to exit, he signed off on the
U.S.A-Israel defense agreement guaranteeing Israel $38 billion in military aid
over 10 years with no strings attached.
• We hope now it is not too late
as we now see Palestine disappear before our eyes.
• I thanked the
gathering and urged them to continue the struggle for Palestine. Apathy is no
option. We must continue the fight for recognition of Palestine before it
disappears. The Labor Party is a social Justice party. It supports the rights
of people. I am proud to have been a member of the party and proud of my
friendship with Bob Carr. He has lead the fight and it is through his tenacity
and perseverance that we now have members of the party actually speaking out as
have many Labor members including former foreign Minister Gareth Evans, former
Prime Ministers Bob Hawk and Kevin Rudd.
Shaoquett
The Hon. Shaoquett Moselmane MLC.
Opposition Whip
Parliament of New South Wales
Parliament House
Macquarie St, Sydney NSW 2000 Australia
Former FM and Premier Bob Carr
Opposition Whip Shaoquett Moselmane MLC
The Hon. Shaoquett Moselmane MLC Welcoming Chief Guest Bob Carr
Chief Guest of the Evening Hon. Bob Carr speaking about ALP position on Palestinian State
Shaoquett Mouslimani MP thanking Honourable Bob Carr for wonderful speech on the important Global Issue of Palestine
