Former Labor Minister Mike Kelly has accused the Albanese Labor government of being under the influence of “Islamist” and far-left forces.
This claim followed recent Labor party policy changes relating to the Middle East.
Former Labor MP Michael Danby agrees with Kelly, stating that the Australian Labor Party (ALP) national conference resulted in a watered-down policy platform that failed to explicitly demand the disarmament of Hamas.
They – along with many others within the community – argue this reflects the political pressure from the far-left faction within the ALP to suck up to Muslims in federal Labor electorates that have significant numbers of Muslim voters.
These include western Sydney seats of Blaxland held by Education Minister Jason Clare and Watson held by Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke.
It’s important to note that Australia’s diverse Muslim population has more than doubled since the turn of the century, now comprising 3.2% of our national population, up from 1.5% in 2001 – and it’s growing faster than other religions.
Labor’s new policy platform unveiled at its conference dropped demands for the Hamas terrorist organisation to disarm and also to be excluded from governing Gaza.
Kelly said it was “really disturbing” that the Albanese government has chosen to remove the two critical requirements.
“This is really disturbing. I mean, the issue here is if you’ve got a simple line in that document, which refers to the need for Hamas to be excluded from a Palestinian government and be forced to lay down its arms,” Kelly told News24 host Sharri Markson.
“This is something that’s at the centre of the ceasefire, the centre of the peace board’s two-state solution plan and it’s what Palestinians want.”
When asked whether there was an “unhealthy obsession” with Israel at Labor’s recent conference, Kelly agreed, saying there was “relentless focus” on the Israel-Palestine conflict in the updated foreign policy document.
“You’ve got this section of the platform that deals with foreign affairs, and there is only one conflict that’s actually mentioned in that entire document,” he said.
“It’s obscene when you think about the fact that it was actually Hamas that initiated the war in the first place by its invasion of southern Israel on the 7th of October 2023.”
The Australia Israel Jewish Affairs Council (AIJAC) has already criticised Labor for refusing to call for Hamas to disarm in its new policy platform.
“These changes demonstrate how far the ALP as a party is departing from Australia’s traditional bipartisan support for a negotiated two-state resolution,” Executive Director Dr Colin Rubenstein said.
AIJAC however praised the party for rejecting its Muslim MP Ed Husic’s approach to the Middle East, which it called “extreme and incendiary”.
Husic had pushed for Labor to officially recognise claims of genocide against Israel.
That, of course, is a total lie – and Husic would know that! The only ‘genocide’ relating to the Middle East situation is the Iran/Hamas/Hezbollah/Houthis joint stated goal of eradicating Israel and killing the Jews who live there.
That’s what Husic appears to be supporting together with many others in our community, as indicated by the marches and demonstrations by pro-Palestine mobs.
The other issue that has arisen relates to the so-called ISIS ‘brides’ and the ISIS male terrorists who are now planning to follow their compatriots back to Australia.
Along with 12 others is “Dr Jihad”, Tareq Kamleh who is a Perth-born paediatrician who travelled to Syria to join Islamic State. Videos released by the terrorist organisation depict Kamleh clearly equipped for battle (see below).
“The accused’s activities were not limited to providing medical services. He adopted the extremist group’s propaganda … advocating for terrorist activity,” the Iraqi Centre for International Judicial Cooperation said.
Kamleh is wanted by the AFP under an active arrest warrant for terrorism offences, including joining and recruiting for a banned terrorist organisation.
LNP Opposition leader Angus Taylor told reporters the Albanese government needed to do more to prevent ISIS-linked Australians returning home.
“We have seen over the last week an ISIS bride get out on bail, and now we’ve seen an ISIS terrorist who’s living offshore, wanting to come back to our country,” Taylor said.
“The Labor Party needs to commit to preventing that from happening. They have many levers at their disposal.
“They can ensure that this person does not get a passport and they can also use temporary exclusion orders.
“We have put legislation in front of the parliament to prevent third parties from helping people like him, terrorists, back into the country.”
Pauline Hanson’s One Nation party has done the same but so far there has been no response from the Albanese Labor government to either proposal.
This shouldn’t surprise anybody. Despite what they claim, the socialist-left leadership within the Labor party are clearly pro-Palestine and anti-Israel – they’ve made that very clear on numerous occasions.
The Albanese government’s spokesperson recently said: “The government has not and will not provide any assistance to any Australian who made the choice to join a dangerous terrorist organisation.”
But that’s what they also said about the ‘brides’ – and look what happened. They were provided with passports and allowed back into Australia.
Albanese and his left-wing cohorts in the Labor party together with the Marxist Greens have no intention of trying to stop terrorists from returning to Australia.
Their primary objective is gaining Muslim support in key electorates and they will do whatever it takes to achieve that.
It’s just another Albanese lie – amongst many!
Thanks to Christian Li Volsi at News24, Nine News, Lukas Coch/AAP, and Johannes Leak for his cartoon.
