With Professor Stuart Rees, journalist Mary Kostakidis, Senator David Shoebridge, Assange lawyer Jennifer Robinson, Dr. Arthur Chesterfield-Evans of Doctors for Assange and CN Editor Joe Lauria at Politics in the Pub in Sydney, Australia. Produced by Cathy Vogan. Live, Monday at 3 am EST, 8 am GMT, 7 pm AEDT. Replay afterward.

The event will focus largely on health risks to Julian Assange, who faces DAY X, his final U.K. appeal on February 20-21, if he is extradited to the U.S., as well as the implications of a new law in the U.K. regarding a requesting State’s assurances in an extradition case. 

In 2021, U.S. assurances were accepted by the High Court of England and Wales to overturn a lower court decision not to extradite Assange on health grounds, but his state of health has significantly deteriorated since then. 

The Australian all-party ‘Bring Assange Home’ parliamentary group has sent a letter to U.K. Home Secretary James Cleverly, requesting an investigation into the health risks should Assange be extradited. Senator Shoebridge is one of the four signatories. 

The letter begins and ends with the following two quotes: “We know that you will be well aware of the U.K. Supreme Court decision that related to your office reported as AAA v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2023] UKSC 42.”

The decision found that courts in the United Kingdom cannot just rely on third party assurances by foreign governments but rather are required to make independent assessments of the risk of persecution to individuals before any order is made removing them from the U.K.… 

“…we are requesting that you undertake an urgent, thorough and independent assessment of the risks to Mr Assange’s health and welfare in the event he is extradited to the United States. Consistent with the decision in AAA it appears to us that such independent investigation should include a close review of the risks to Mr Assange’s health, life and wellbeing through prolonged detention in one or more high security U.S. detention facilities.”

https://consortiumnews.com/2024/01/28/watch-saving-julian-assange/

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I doubt if any Australia political leader was watching the International Court of Justice President Judge, Joan E Donahue (United States of America) deliver the ruling in South Africa’s case alleging Israel has committed genocide on Palestinians in Gaza.

The hour-long detailed assessment by Judge O Donahue should certainly be compulsory viewing for every Federal parliamentarian so they start to acquire better understanding of their responsibilities under international law. Government ministers may require more than one viewing to absorb the implications of the ICJ preliminary ruling for Australian foreign policy. They will certainly need expert briefings to debate how the Australian Government should respond as a signatory to the Genocide Convention.

The International Court of Justice ordered that Israel “take all measures within its power to prevent its troops from committing genocide, punish acts of incitement, take steps to improve the humanitarian situation and report back on its progress within the month.” The current court comprises judges come from the United States, Russia Slovenia, France Morocco, Somalia, China, Uganda, India, Jamaica, Lebanon, Japan Australia, Brazil and Germany. The preliminary ruling demonstrates that the South African government provided evidence which alerted the court to the risk of genocide and the decision of the court reflected that concern.

The following day Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong announced a pause in the $6million aid package for Gaza, because 12 Palestinian U.N workers had been accused of being involved in the October 7th attack on Israel. Why would our Foreign Minister withdraw these resources from thousands of desperate Palestinians? Why did she choose to make this announcement at the very time when the International Court has asked for Israel to guarantee humanitarian aid? Bad advice and timing or a calculated decision on behalf of ‘like-minded countries “designed to divert attention from ongoing crimes against humanity? There are more than 13,000 Palestinian workers employed by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency trying to provide essential services in Gaza, yet these alleged 12 miscreants have come to the attention of U.S Secretary of State, Antony Blinken who immediately demanded a high-level investigation. Presumably he has not demanded any comparable inquiry into how 100+ U.N. workers died doing their life saving work in Gaza.

Clearly official advice and the preference of some ministers is that the Australian Government should avoid comment on the recent international ruling …an argument no doubt boosted by the International Court of Justice ruling being a preliminary statement with the final determination of Israeli genocide to follow at some time in the future. However, only a very biased or naïve adviser would attempt to sideline an official Australian response within the next few weeks.

Within the global community there will be intense debates as nations monitor how Israel responds to the International Court of Justice by February 27th. In the parliament there will be calls for Australia to review its diplomatic relationship with Israel. Will Australia recall its ambassador or introduce sanctions against Israel? Will the government review recent statements offering “unconditional support” to the nation which has been asked by the International Court of Justice to take action to prevent genocide?

Australian governments over a number of years have failed to encourage informed parliamentary or public debate about foreign policy because Australia has a history of choosing automatic support for our traditional allies, “the good guys” who “share our values” But how should the Australian Government respond when trusted allies ignore international law.? Will Prime Minister Netanyahu be welcome to travel to Australia or will he be prohibited like President Putin also identified for ignoring international law?

Australians need to know if the Federal Government has prepared detailed legal analysis and advice about our responsibilities to respond to this international Court of Justice ruling. This is major international decision which requires an independent Australian response. The Australian Government needs to catch up with the implications of the International Court of Justice statement to assess its relevance for Australian foreign policy. And indeed, how Australia itself may be in breach of its obligations under the Genocide Convention

The Albanese Cabinet needs to conduct a comprehensive review of Australian government departments and related agencies’ relationships with the Government of Israel to assess any complicity with allegations of genocide. This includes military support and any financial transactions which could be citied in a future legal action involving Australia. We know our defence systems…be it Pine Gap or arms sales are locked into American foreign policy so with or without Australian consent, this country may have been compliant in actions against the Palestinians. Prime Minister Albanese must now take charge of Australia’s response and require his ministers to detail the activities of their departments which may not have recognised the significance of policy and decision making which could have assisted the Government of Israel in its war on Gaza.

Of course, there will be the naysayers who will continue to be in denial about Australia needing to take seriously its obligations under the Genocide Convention. Empty political statements about the so called “national interest “may appeal to a largely unaware public, but they will not stand up to legal scrutiny about whether Australia may have been complicit in genocidal acts now being considered by the International Court of Justice.

The Australian Government’s response to the behaviour of the Netanyahu regime has been biased and inadequate. It has compromised Australia’s independence, undermined our international reputation and disgusted all those Australians who expect their national government to champion humanitarian law. The next month provides the Australian Government with the opportunity to show real leadership and prove it is indeed the nation which is committed to international law standards. That cannot be compromised in the name of diplomatic friendship. While we support the citizens of all nations, it is not possible to support those who become their leaders. This is why international law making has been developed to protect people when governments fail, so the International Court of Justice ruling is a significant wake up call to the Albanese Government.

You might wish to read the ICJ Ruling.

https://johnmenadue.com/stark-lessons-for-australia-in-icj-genocide-ruling-but-is-anyone-listening/

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The French Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced on 28 January that it "has not planned a new payment" for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA) in the first quarter of this year.

France joined the US, Canada, Australia, Italy, Britain, Germany, the Netherlands, and Finland as countries who have announced a suspension of funding for UNRWA after Israel alleged that 12 UNRWA employees participated in the Hamas offensive on Israeli settlements and military bases on 7 October.

The French foreign ministry added that it "will decide when the time comes what action to take in conjunction with the United Nations and the main donors, ensuring that all its transparency and security requirements are met."

Other countries, including Jordan and Egypt, rejected the decision to suspend aid to UNRWA amid Israel's ongoing military campaign in Gaza. 

Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi stated it is not appropriate to sanction UNRWA based on allegations against 12 of its 13,000 staff in Gaza, especially since the agency has initiated an immediate investigation into these allegations.

UNRWA announced earlier this month that at least 142 members of its staff have been killed by Israel's brutal bombing campaign of the Gaza Strip. 

Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry stated that the countries who are expressing outrage against the UNRWA employees did not express similar anger against Israel for killing over 26,000 Palestinians since 7 October. He stressed the importance of not prejudging the investigation into the allegations against UNRWA staff, noting that limiting UNRWA's ability to perform its services should not happen.

Shoukry emphasized that suspending UNRWA's funding is collective punishment for the Palestinians.

France, the US, and the UK announced the funding cuts to UNRWA, which provides desperately needed humanitarian aid to Gaza, shortly after the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ordered Israel to take immediate and effective measures to ensure the provision of humanitarian assistance to civilians in Gaza.

The court is hearing the case after South Africa brought a suit alleging that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza. 

https://thecradle.co/articles/france-joins-us-uk-and-others-in-halting-unrwa-aid-for-gaza

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7RuqwtoiaPE

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Within 24 hours of an allegation made by Mark Regev, an advisor to Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu to the BBC last Friday, that 12 employees of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) participated in the October 7 operation, foreign ministers of the US, UK, Canada, Australia, and a few other countries, jumped to announce they are pausing their funding to UNRWA, thus collectively punishing millions of Palestinian refugees throughout the region.

UNRWA has 30,000 employees, of which 13,000 work in Gaza, and provides services encompassing “education, health care, relief and social services, camp infrastructure and improvement, microfinance and emergency assistance, including in times of armed conflict” to about 5.9 million Palestinian refugees including education to 550,000 students throughout the region.

It is clear that this arbitrary decision, taken by Australia based on unsubstantiated allegations and before UNRWA’s investigation, is in line with Israel’s genocidal war and starvation policy against the Palestinians.

According to the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics, in the last three and half months, Israel has killed 26,795 civilians including 12,345 children and 7,500 women, and wounded 69,445. Among those killed are 337 doctors and health workers, 119 journalists and 152 UNRWA employees. They have forced nearly two million people, out of 2.3 million, to flee their homes, completely or partially destroyed 355,000 homes and buildings, including 141 UNRWA schools and facilities, 25 hospitals, 99 schools and universities, 140 government buildings, 161 mosques, 3 churches, water and electricity stations, the Legislative Council building, the Gaza Municipality building, the public library and theatre, the cultural centre, markets, banks, bakeries, and 195 heritage sites some dating back to 800 BC.

Even roads have been torn up by the Israeli army bulldozers and 18 cemeteries have been wrecked leaving graves ruined, soil upturned, and bodies unearthed. The zoo was not spared destruction and all animals, including rare ones, were killed.

Israel’s destruction and killing during these three and half months is equal to the destruction of more than 117 towers the size of the World Trade Centre, and the killing of nearly nine-fold more Palestinians than Americans killed in 9/11.

In proportion to the Australian, US and Ukrainian populations, in these three and half months, Israel has killed the equivalent of 304 thousand Australians, over 3.9 million Americans and the equivalent of 44 times the number of Ukrainians killed.

Israel has dropped more than 45,000 bombs on Gaza weighing over 65,000 tonnes of explosives; this is equal to more than three nuclear bombs the size of the bomb dropped on the city of Hiroshima.

Yet despite these heinous war crimes and crimes against humanity, in which Israel has violated all international law and norms, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Opposition Leader Peter Dutton, and parliamentary members of the Labor, Liberal and National Parties lined up to condemn Hamas and did not utter until now, a single word of condemnation against Israel’s state acts of terrorism.

How do the Australian Government and Opposition justify their political, military and financial support for Ukraine against Russian aggression and occupation to the amount of 910 million dollars of our tax money, and on the other hand, take an opposite stand in support of Israel’s aggression and occupation of Palestine? This hypocrisy and double standard are obvious, dangerous, and not in Australia’s national interest.

Israel has never hidden its intention to abolish UNRWA by manufacturing false stories against the UN agency and pressuring Western countries to cease funding it. Israel’s current war is to liquidate the Palestinian cause and eliminate the rights of the Palestinian refugees it has ethnically cleansed to return to their cities, villages, and properties that it stole from them.

When Western countries, including Australia, sponsored the partition of Palestine in the United Nations in 1947 to create a Jewish state, they were not aware that while the Zionists were pretending to accept the partition, they were clandestinely preparing a military plan “Dalet” or Plan D, aiming to ethnically cleanse as many Christian and Muslim Palestinians from their homeland and occupy as much of Palestine as possible beyond the UN partition borders. Through dozens of massacres carried out by Jewish terrorist organisations, the Haganah, Irgun and the Stern Gangs, they ethnically cleansed more than 70% of the Palestinian people and occupied 78% of Palestine or half of what was supposed to be a Palestinian state according to the UN partition.

Feeling betrayed by Zionist leaders, and guilty and responsible for the catastrophe (Al-Nakba) befallen the Palestinians, the countries that supported the creation of Israel in Palestine, passed UN resolution 194 calling on Israel to allow the refugees to return to their cities and villages and pay them compensation. and they established UNRWA in 1949 to provide education, health care, relief and social services the refugees until the fulfilment of the refugees’ right of return in accordance with resolution 194.

As part of the war of starvation, ethnic cleansing, and genocide Israel is waging against the Palestinians to bring them to their knees, and strip them of their inalienable right of return, Israel is reviving its old attempts to destroy UNRWA by creating stories to give justifications to countries, that follow Israel blindly and cover up its crimes to stop their donations to the UN agency and deprive the refugees of critical aid. In this endeavour, they are supported no more than by the group of Anglo-Saxon countries, who created and are in the service of Israel, the ‘five eyes.’

Philippe Lazzarini, head of the UNRWA said the decision threatened UNRWA work across the region, especially in Gaza. “It is shocking to see a suspension of funds to the agency in reaction to allegations against a small group of staff, especially given the immediate action that UNRWA took by terminating their contracts and asking for a transparent independent investigation,” he said in a statement.

“I urge countries who have suspended their funding to reconsider their decisions. The lives of people in Gaza depend on this support and so does regional stability.”

I do not know what one can call the level reached by the US and some Western countries that claim civilisation and values but shamefully submit to appease an oppressive, apartheid colonial regime who without their appeasement and blind support would not have dared to continue violating international law, hundreds of UN resolutions and challenging the international community. They are however rapidly losing the hearts and minds of people both internationally and at home, who are questioning whether their governments represent their values and morals.

https://johnmenadue.com/the-australian-governments-pause-of-funding-to-unrwa-is-irresponsible-and-shameful-pic-unrwa-links-co/

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