ISTANBUL
A broad coalition of diverse faith groups issued an open letter to the Australian government on Wednesday, urging it to recognize Palestine as an independent state while also sanctioning Israel.
Expressing solidarity with “our fellow human beings in Gaza, some 24 organizations said in the letter: “It is time to stand decisively for justice, dignity, and the right of all human beings to live free from occupation and slaughter.”
The government of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is under intense pressure to move towards recognizing a Palestinian state after France, the UK, Canada, and others announced their decision regarding Palestine.
They will recognize an independent State of Palestine in September during the UN General Assembly.
However, reports have emerged that Albanese was preparing the ground for a historic shift on Palestine, which was just a matter of time.
Amid the ongoing genocide, starvation, and displacement of Palestinians in Gaza, the letter read: “We are facing a moment of profound moral reckoning.”
Palestinian Christians in Australia, Jewish Women for Peace, Christians for Peace, Muslim Collective, Australian Jewish Democratic Society, and Missionaries of the Heart were among the groups named in the letter published as an advertisement.
The open letter was widely shared on social media by the coalition members as well as other supporters of Palestine.
'End horror in Gaza'
Corinne Fagueret, spokeswoman for Jewish Women 4 Peace Action Ready, told Anadolu: "This open letter is an unprecedented show of solidarity between Australian Jewish, Christian, and Muslim groups against the Netanyahu government, a government that has no regard for human life, whether it is Palestinian children or the Israeli hostages in Gaza."
"The world, including Australia, must act urgently to stop the horror that is going on in Gaza," said Fagueret.
Senator David Shoebridge described the open letter as an "incredibly strong human" statement.
"Sanction Israel, recognize Palestine, and help end the horror in Gaza," said Shoebridge, a lawmaker representing the opposition Greens Party, whose motion to recognize Palestine was voted down last year.
The latest public push came after tens of thousands rallied on Sunday across the Sydney Harbour Bridge, pressing the Albanese government to recognize Palestine.
Albanese later held a phone call with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, the first conversation since Israel launched its genocidal war in Gaza in October 2023.
Australia has seen growing support for Palestine and increasing criticism of Israeli actions since the war began, which has also led to a few court cases.
However, in a significant ruling, the Australian Federal Court last month noted political criticism of Israel, “however inflammatory or adversarial, is not by its nature criticism of Jews in general or based on Jewish racial or ethnic identity.”
Explaining the significance of the verdict, Brisbane-based barrister Rita Jabri Markwell told Anadolu that Justice Angus Stewart’s observation was the first time that the Australian Federal Court had noted that “anti-Zionism does not equal antisemitism.”
“This was really a big deal because up until this point, there’s been this big push in Australia to say that anti-Zionism is antisemitism and that if you criticize Israel that’s antisemitic, but the judge was quite clear in this case that ... that is not true,” Markwell said, noting that the ruling could be referred to by courts in other nations, particularly Commonwealth countries.