
Socialist Alliance issued the following statement on March 20.
鈥 鈥 鈥
Socialist Alliance joins millions of people around the world and Australia in condemning Israel for relaunching its聽聽on March 18.
Israel鈥檚 claim that聽Hamas broke the January 16 ceasefire is an outright lie.聽Hamas聽wanted to stick to the three-phase plan and would not agree to Israel鈥檚 new terms.
To say Israel 鈥渂roke鈥 the ceasefire is inaccurate too, because聽Israel聽never really observed it. Since the ceasefire began in January, it has killed more than 130 Palestinians.
聽and has聽聽than聽150 Palestinians before the latest bombing raids聽in Gaza and the West Bank. Now, 400 more people have been killed, including many children.
Israel does not聽respect聽international law, nor even its own agreements.
While Israel鈥檚聽far-right Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu聽says he wants Hamas to release the remaining hostages, even though聽the release of all the hostages was to be completed after Stage 1 of the ceasefire agreement.
The hostages聽are entirely expendable, as Netanyahu鈥檚 primary mission is to ethnically cleanse Gaza as part of creating 鈥済reater Israel鈥.
Israel continues to have the full backing of United States, with President Donald Trump recently approving US$7.4 billion more bombs and Hellfire missiles to Israel in February, as well as Israel鈥檚 latest deadly attacks.
, including major arms supplier Germany,聽are decrying聽the breakdown of the聽ceasefire, but none are slapping any kind of sanction on Israel.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese called on 鈥渁ll parties鈥 to respect the hostage and ceasefire deal. But his聽聽spelt out what he had in mind, saying: 鈥淭errorist group Hamas must release all hostages immediately, unconditionally and with dignity.鈥
Calling on聽all聽parties to 鈥渞espect鈥 the ceasefire agreement obfuscates the oppressor and aggressor.
This will not be lost on supporters of Palestine as the federal election is about to be called.
The Albanese government鈥檚 support for Israel and, by extension, Trump鈥檚 brutal plans for the Middle East, should be a major concern for all those concerned about peace with justice.
Socialist Alliance calls for immediate military and economic sanctions on apartheid Israel, for Israel鈥檚 ambassador to be expelled and Australia鈥檚聽recalled.
SA聽calls for聽a mass turnout at the emergency protests for Palestine in聽cities all around the country聽over the next few days.
Palestine will only be free if the world stands up now and demands to be heard.聽
From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free!
[Get to your protest for Palestine. Details聽here.]