GAZA WAR

The Hon. S.W. KEY (Ashford) (15:47): Today I rise to discuss what I consider to be a very important issue but one that I feel totally frustrated about, and that is the war that has been reported recently and its impacts on the people of Gaza. I am a member of the Palestine Friendship Association, as I know many other members in this place are, and a very proud member. However, I suspect that, as well as myself, a number of members felt frustrated at not being able to do anything that was of any real support for the people of Gaza. I was interested to read recently a letter to the Prime Minister from Bishop Patrick Power, the Auxiliary Bishop for the Archdiocese of Canberra-Goulburn. The letter is dated 13 January and states:

Dear Prime Minister, I know that you must be feeling the pain being suffered by the people of Gaza during these terrible days. Each day brings more news of loss of life, including a very large number of children, and the whole situation which seems almost humanly hopeless to resolve.

For many years, I have been a strong advocate for the Palestinian people in the belief that they are being so harshly treated by Israel. My visits to the Holy Land in 1973 and 1988 convinced me of the brutality of the Israelis towards the Palestinian population. Everything I have observed since then has hardened my convictions. I have been appalled over the years to witness the United States giving a "wink and a nod" to Israel as well as financial backing enabling the Israelis to ruthlessly crush the Palestinians. The fact that so many other countries are complicit, including I am ashamed to say, Australia, is a source of great shame to me.

There is no need for me to lecture you about the unevenness of the "contest". Today's news reports [for 13 January] that over 900 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza while the Israeli loss of life has amounted to 17. I recognise how futile (stupid!) are the rocket attacks which were launched by Hamas into Israel, but I can understand how a desperate population of 1.5 million—

interestingly the same population that we have in South Australia—

crowded into such a small land mass and systematically deprived of essential food, water, fuel and medical supplies are pushed into desperate measures.

Prime Minister, last Saturday I took part in a rally which began at the Israeli Embassy where I spoke and ended at the Prime Minister's Lodge. At the Lodge, a very moving speech was given by Dr Kevin Bray, Chair of Australians for Justice and Peace in Palestine. I understand a copy of that talk has been sent to you electronically. I wish to endorse the contents of Kevin Bray's talk. Later that evening, I took part in a candle-light vigil outside Parliament House. I was struck by the large number of beautiful young Palestinian children who were present. I wept at the thought of children of their age who have been slaughtered in Gaza in the past two weeks. They are today's 'holy innocents' suffering a similar fate to that which Herod inflicted 2000 years ago.

Please, Prime Minister, do all that you can to bring a halt to this dreadful blight on our times.

I must say that I was very surprised to read that an auxiliary bishop of the archdiocese would actually come out and say those things, but they are certainly sentiments that I support.

On a more positive note, I notice that the Windows for Peace group—and I have had the opportunity to meet both Palestinian and Israeli members—have continued their work during this latest, ongoing war in Gaza. Although it has been very difficult for them to continue their work during the most recent conflict, there have been a number of continuing attempts between the groups to make sure that the dialogue between the progressive Israelis and the progressive Palestinians continues, including regular group meetings where people from both sides make sure that they sit together and talk about things that they agree on and ways of working together.

There have been joint youth encounters where the Windows group has made sure that there is access for young people to each other, as well as to progressive information about politics. There have been a number of activities and lecture series that have been organised, as well as the Joint Palestinian-Israeli Women's Group.

Time expired.