Labor members push Wong to ban Israeli settlement trade
Labor members want Australia to join the UK, Canada and France in banning trade with Israeli settlements on the West Bank.
The Labor Friends of Palestine group wrote to Foreign Minister Penny Wong on Wednesday, asking Australia to align with three Allied nations. The UK, Canada and France are putting new trade limits on Israeli settlements in occupied Palestinian territory.
Wong confirmed Australia is preparing fresh sanctions against Israel. But she declined to join the broader settlement trade ban.
The UK will ban goods from settlements in the occupied territories. It will also put new limits on arms exports.
Canada and France are taking similar steps. Nine European countries are also thinking about doing this.
Labor's platform calls for Australia to stop supporting illegal settlements. It also wants Australia to add more sanctions when needed.
The group said Australia has worked with these countries before. They acted together against settler violence in June.
- UK, Canada, France
- Countries banning settlement trade
- 9
- European nations considering bans
- Penny Wong
- Recipient of Labor letter
- Wednesday
- Letter date
Why it mattersAustralia is not doing what its allied countries are doing. This creates a split with Labor figures who want Australia to take a stronger stance on Palestinian rights.
AustraliaThe disagreement highlights tension within the Labor government over how far Australia should push back against Israeli settlement expansion in foreign policy.
✓ Claims checked against the source and corrected before publish. checked 2 d ago
