'We had no intention': Israeli ambassador defends rare move on Labor platform
Following backlash, Israel's ambassador to Australia has argued: "All we did was we put forth facts for the decision-makers".
Israel's ambassador to Australia defended his embassy's unusual public intervention ahead of Labor's national conference, rejecting claims it sought to influence the party's platform. The Israeli embassy issued a detailed statement ahead of the conference in Adelaide, challenging Labor's proposed stance on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
The embassy argued that the platform placed blame on Israel while neglecting Hamas and Palestinian leadership's role. This sparked criticism from pro-Palestinian advocates who accused Israel of improperly interfering in Australian politics. Israeli Ambassador Hillel Newman told SBS Hebrew that "we had no intention and no actual intervention."
He explained that the embassy merely provided information to decision-makers for informed choices, adding, "We are just a resource, giving the information." Newman emphasized that the embassy was not interfering in the convention itself or the decision-making process. The Palestinian envoys also commented on the ALP platform and convention, with no accusations of foreign interference being made.
The Australia Palestine Advocacy Network condemned the embassy's "extraordinary intervention" as an "unacceptable attempt by a foreign government to influence Australia’s domestic political processes." They argued that if the Israeli regime found Labor's platform too critical, it should reflect on its own conduct. The Labor platform, debated at its national conference, reflected shifts and an expanded position on Israel and Palestine since the previous iteration in 2023.
The draft platform condemned Israeli settler violence in the West Bank and illegal settlement activity, supported the ICC, and condemned terrorism and violent extremism, including as perpetrated by Hamas. The Israeli embassy noted that Labor's policy motions were still draft forms and promised to continue constructive engagement through diplomatic channels.
Delegates ultimately adopted the platform's positions on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict without major changes or debate.
Written by urgent.news from SBS News's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
