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May 16, 2024
Anthony Albanese called out Labor Senator Fatima Payman for labelling the actions of Israel “genocide” and uttering “from the river to the sea” - a phrase the Prime Minister has condemned.
Ms Payman broke rank from her party’s longstanding position on a two-state solution with her inflammatory comments on Wednesday.
“My conscience has been uneasy for far too long. And I must call this out for what it is. This is a genocide. From the river to the sea. Palestine will be free,” she said.
When asked about Ms Payman’s comments on ABC News Radio Thursday morning, Mr Albanese condemned his colleague’s call, saying it opposed the government’s position on Israel-Palestine.
“It's not what's appropriate,” he said. “What is, is a two-state solution, a two-state solution where both Israelis and Palestinians have the right to live in security, in peace and in prosperity.
“It is not in the interests of either Israelis or Palestinians to advocate there just be one state. That is a forerunner of enormous conflict and grief.
“We are seeing enormous grief in Gaza that is having a significant impact on people who have relatives and friends in Gaza, and that is a very traumatic occurrence.
“A lot of trauma is being experienced by Jewish Australians due to the rise in antisemitism, that we're seeing here where people who happen to be Jewish are being held responsible for actions of the Netanyahu government.”
Labor MP Tanya Plibersek similarly opposed Ms Payman’s comments, with the Minister for the Environment telling Sky News’ Peter Stefanovic they were not representative of the government’s stance on Israel.
“Well, I’m not going to start telling my colleagues what to say. What she’s saying, however, is not Labor party policy, it’s not the government’s policy,” Ms Plibersek told the First Edition host, adding that comments of this nature were a distraction from what needed to happen in the Middle East.
“I think that those sorts of words distract us from what has to happen right now which is a humanitarian ceasefire, access for humanitarian aid and the release of the remaining hostages.
“We need to see weapons put down on both sides so we can work towards peace and a two-state solution which is the only long-term solution that will bring peace to the region.”
Across the political aisle, Senator Paterson said Ms Payman has “laid down the gauntlet” for Mr Albanese and created a “very important test of his leadership” after going against the government’s position on the conflict in Gaza.
“Well, Senator Payman has laid down the gauntlet to the Prime Minister today, and this is a very important test of his leadership. Will he show strength, or will he show weakness?” Mr Paterson said.
“Senator Payman has repeated a phrase that the Prime Minister has agreed is a violent statement. She's endorsed that phrase.
“In the Prime Minister's own analysis people who make this statement are in opposition to a two state solution, are in opposition to peace.
“She's not just undermining decades of bipartisan Australian foreign policy. She's undermining decades of Australian Labor Party policy.”
Alongside her critique of Israel, Ms Payman also attacked the nation’s leaders for appearing to “performatively gesture” while defending Israel’s right to “oppress” Palestinians.
“Instead of advocating for social justice, I see our leaders performatively gesture defending the oppressor’s right to oppress while gaslighting the global community about the right of self-defence,” she said.
She continued to address Mr Albanese personally, asking him if there was a "magic number" of international rights laws "Israel must break" before enough was enough.
"I ask our Prime Minister and our fellow parliamentarians: how many international rights laws must Israel break for us to say enough? What is the magic number?" she said.
"How many mass graves need to be uncovered before we say enough? How many images of bloodied limbs of murdered children must we see?"
The Western Australia Senator also called for her colleagues to “stand up for what is right” as the “genocide” continues.
“I ask you to join me to continue to call for freedom from the occupation, freedom from the violence and freedom from the inequality,” Ms Payman concluded.
