Israel-Hamas war: Labor draws up airlift plans as parties bicker over … – The Australian Financial Review

Anthony Albanese has accused the Greens and Coalition of trying to politicise the unfolding catastrophe in Israel, as his government focuses on dealing with the fallout, including making contingency plans to evacuate Australian citizens should the situation deteriorate further.
Although the government believes there are currently adequate commercial flights for any of the estimated 10,000 Australian dual citizens and visitors in Israel wishing to leave, The Australian Financial Review has learned contingencies are being drawn up for an airlift should airlines continue to cancel flights.
Palestine supporters rally outside the Sydney Opera House on Monday night. Lisa Maree Williams
The contingency plans include the use of both civilian and military aircraft. “The Australian government is monitoring developments and assessing all options,” a foreign ministry spokesman said.
The last significant rescue from the region was arranged by the Howard government in 2006 when it used ships and planes to evacuate thousands of Australian citizens from Lebanon following an Israeli invasion.
Mr Albanese expressed frustration with his domestic political rivals as the massacre and kidnapping of Israel citizens by Hamas militants over the weekend, followed by Israel’s retaliatory bombing of Gaza, tested the loyalties of Australia’s main political parties.
The Coalition has sided squarely with Israel while the Greens have backed the Palestinians. Labor, while condemning the Hamas atrocities and backing Israel’s right to defend itself, has been more circumspect, with calls for restraint from both sides.
Mr Albanese said the government was concerned with the immediate crisis, given there are so many Australians who are visiting the region or who are living in the region.
The prime minister condemned a rally on the steps of the Sydney Opera House on Monday night in which pro-Palestinian demonstrators, in a protest against the national icon being lit with the colours of the Israeli flag, cheered the Hamas atrocities, burned the Israeli flag and chanted “gas the Jews”.
Jewish people wanting to attend the Opera House were prevented from doing so. The NSW police claimed this was for their own safety.
As the NSW government came under fire over the incident, Mr Albanese said the protest, with its “appalling and anti-Semitic” messages, should never have been permitted. “We are a tolerant, multicultural nation,” he said.
“There’s nothing to celebrate from the loss of innocent lives. I always have been sympathetic to a two-state solution in the Middle East. You can have that position. But I think that the events on the weekend deserve unequivocal condemnation.”
Opposition Leader Peter Dutton also slammed the rally and the NSW government for permitting it, noting that in France, which has a large Muslim population, there was a peaceful rally supporting Israel, beneath the Eiffel Tower.
The Eiffel Tower lit up with the colours of the Israeli flag after the Hamas attacks; the night before, Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo ordered all the tower’s lights turned off. AP
But otherwise, tensions between the parties began to fester.
The responses from Labor, which has a strong pro-Palestinian base, and relies on support from the Middle-Eastern community, especially in Western Sydney, have varied.
Former leader Bill Shorten said a lot of domestic anti-Israeli sentiment was underpinned by anti-semitism and the chants at the rally were “disgusting”.
“It is un-Australian to attack someone because of what god they worship. Let’s call it what it is – it is anti-Semitism,” he told Nine’s Today show.
Fellow Victorian frontbencher Richard Marles described the Hamas attacks as “acts of terror”, whereas his NSW colleagues were more muted.
Chris Bowen, who holds the Western Sydney seat of MacMahon, has said only that he supports Mr Albanese’s position.
“The prime minister has made the government’s position on these marches crystal clear. I fully support that position,” he said.
Foreign Minster Penny Wong, who was criticised by the opposition for calling for restraint from both sides, said she was being mindful of the consequences of a regional escalation.
“What we are seeing is horrific. What would be even more horrific would be this to escalate to beyond the current conflict,” she said.
“Everybody understands the importance of … doing everything we can to make sure this doesn’t escalate further.”
Greens senator Mehreen Faruqi went into bat for the Palestinians, describing the illumination of Parliament House in Israeli colours as “a disgrace”.
“One colonial government supporting another,” she said.
NSW Greens MP Jenny Leong said the illumination of the Opera House was “appalling” and took issue with Mr Marles for describing the Hamas attacks as unprovoked.
“Unprovoked? This is a disgraceful statement from Defence Minister Richard Marles,” she said.
“It is also appalling that tonight the Opera House will be lit up in support of Israel – what about all of the Palestinian lives lost since occupation?”
Greens leader Adam Bandt condemned both “the horrific attacks on civilians” and the Israeli occupation of Palestine.
“To achieve peace, the occupation of Palestine must end,” he said.
Mr Albanese said Israel had not sought any aid or military support from Australia, and he lashed out when presented with the criticism from the Greens and Mr Dutton, especially Mr Dutton demanding to know why the government had yet to convene a meeting of the National Security Committee of Cabinet.
“We’re receiving appropriate briefings from appropriate officials and agencies. We’re responding appropriately, including giving him a briefing as Leader of the Opposition, from appropriate agencies. I receive a briefing every day on this issue, and we’ll continue to engage appropriately,” he told Sky News.

“It’s very disappointing that we have an issue like this and Peter Dutton is looking for a political angle here. There’s no political angle here, or shouldn’t be.
“I just think people trying to play politics with this issue, whether it’s Peter Dutton or the Greens, is just inappropriate.
“We have seen the slaughter of hundreds of innocent civilians. We’ve seen atrocities committed. There are real issues here, and people should be capable of rising above those issues and just dealing with the issues before us, in a human way.”
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