Perhaps we should pipe down and tend to our own knitting? Glass houses maybe? The U.S. is not perfect, but I see no reason why we should be the sole target of your crusade here. What’s Going On With Australia’s Defence Exports to Israel? Australia has approved 350 defence exports to Israel in the last six years – more than 50 in 2023. Australia has approved 52 defence exports to Israel in this calendar year alone – more than any other country we export to – but the Department of Defence says it cannot confirm how those military-specific goods and materials are being used, and whether or not they’re used in accordance with international law. Earlier this week, new figures revealed the Australian government approved 322 defence exports to Israel between January 1, 2017 and March 31, 2023. The figures were disclosed by the government in response to questions on notice from Greens Senator David Shoebridge, who raised more questions at a Senate estimates hearing on Wednesday.
Hmmmm, that's fresh news to me, so I did a search.... I noticed you never linked or dated your article. Australia criticised for 'opaque' defence exports to Israel, as warnings grow of potential to fuel Gaza war crimes By Annika Burgess Posted Wed 15 Nov 2023 https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-11-15/australia-defence-weapons-exports-israel-hamas-war/103072608 Activists in Australia have been turning their attention to weapons exports, joining an international "block the boat" movement to protest against arms shipments to Israel. (ABC News: Zena Chamas) The Australian government has been accused of being "secretive" about its defence exports to Israel, as calls grow internationally for countries to suspend arms transfers that could be used to commit human rights abuses in Gaza. Australia's weapons exports have come under increased scrutiny after a Senate hearing last month heard that 52 defence permits were granted to the Israeli government this year alone, and more than 350 were granted since 2017. Permits granted can cover both military-specific and dual-use goods, which is technology that can be used for both civilian and military applications. In general, a permit "may involve a weapon or it may not", Defence officials have said. "We don't go into the details of individual permits." But that's about as much as the public knows. Pro-Palestinian protesters staged a jet ski blockade campaign against an Israeli shipping line in Sydney over the weekend. (ABC News) The government has so far been unable to provide specific information about the Israeli exports or how equipment may be used by third parties. But as the civilian death toll in Gaza continues to surge past 11,000,according to the Palestinian health ministry, and hospitals, schools and mosques are being bombed, pressure is mounting. Australia is being asked by rights groups, politicians and activists among others to prove how it can ensure equipment isn't being used in breach of humanitarian law, and to halt military exports to Israel all together. UN Special Rapporteur for Palestinian Human Rights Francesca Albanese said a ceasefire and arms embargo should "happen now".(AAP: Lukas Coch) In a National Press Club address on Tuesday, the United Nation's special rapporteur on the Palestinian Territories, Francesca Albanese, accused the international community of "epically failing" in response to the conflict. She said even before October 7 there was "plenty of evidence of violations of international law" in Israel and Gaza. And while Ms Albanese stopped short of calling Australia complicit in what's unfolding in Gaza, she did pose the question: "Just out of curiosity to understand, what is the capacity and the content of military exports from Australia to the warring parties?" "This could be understood as being responsible for what is happening. "Many have called for an arms embargo, as it happens under circumstances when serious violations of international law and war crimes are being committed." Israeli military vehicles take position, amid the ongoing ground invasion in the Gaza Strip.(Israel Defense Forces via Reuters) Landmark lawsuit seeks answers Ms Albanese's comments came after a landmark legal bid was launched by Palestinian human rights groups last week, seeking records of Australia's arms and weapons exports to Israel. The legal application, which is supported by the Australian Centre for International Justice (ACIJ), seeks access to any permits allowing the export of arms and weapons to Israel granted by the defence minister since October 7. Israel declared war on Hamas, the militant Islamist group that controls the Gaza Strip, after terrorist attacks by the group on October 7 in which around 1,200 Israelis were killed and more than 200 taken hostage. "The arms export process in Australia is shrouded in secrecy … so this process is an attempt to understand what it is that Australia is sending," the group's solicitor, Rawan Arraf from the ACIJ, told the ABC. "We need to know what has been sent and how the decisions are being made in order for our clients to explore whether or not they have the right to seek judicial review." A wounded Palestinian child is carried into the Nasser hospital following Israeli bombardment, in Khan Yunis, in the southern Gaza Strip.(AFP: Mohammed Abed) When quizzed by the Greens in a Senate estimates hearing, Hugh Jeffrey from Defence said export permits granted to Israel over the past six years weren't lethal in nature and "would involve things like radios, body armour, software, vehicle parts — sporting equipment too". But in its affidavit, the Palestinian rights groups say they believe there is evidence that Israel may be using goods and equipment on Australia's Defence and Strategic Goods List (DSGL) to "commit serious abuses of the human rights of people in the Gaza Strip". Lauren Sanders, from the University of Queensland's Law and Future of War project, said Australia had obligations under the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) in relation to human rights breaches. There are provisions in the treaty that prohibit the sale of goods if there is knowledge, or even suspicion, they would be used to commit "gross human rights violations" such as genocide or crimes against humanity. "But it's difficult to know how the government is determining what they consider to be human rights abuses," Dr Sanders told the ABC. "Establishing breaches of these kinds of provisions is very difficult because there's a lot of evidence that needs to be provided." The UN human rights chief has accused both sides in the conflict of committing war crimes. (Reuters: Anas al-Shareef) History of exports to accused human rights violators The standard response from Defence officials is that permit decisions are made on a case-by-case basis against legislative criteria that considers Australia's international legal obligations with respect to human rights. A Defence spokesperson told the ABC that "Australia's defence exports are conducted in line with our stringent and robust export guidelines and international obligations". If there are risks the export may violate Australia's international obligations, "the permit is refused". But with hundreds of permits granted over the years to nations accused of mass human rights violations and war crimes, there have been repeated calls for transparency over exactly how those decisions are made. The defence exports systems is "at best opaque and at worst negligently poor", Michael Shoebridge, director and founder of Strategic Analysis Australia, told the ABC. "Right now, Defence is able to just parrot the criteria … it shows they do not have a proper information base on which to make their decisions." Unlike countries such as the US, Australia also has no remit to control military goods once the goods are exported. "The Australian system is: 'Once the permit is given, it's none of our business'," Mr Shoebridge said. Australia exports Bushmaster armoured vehicles to Indonesia.(Supplied / Department of Defence) Earlier this year, the ABC revealed that approval is routinely given for Australian-made lethal technology to be sent to Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Indonesia, but the federal government insisted careful consideration has been given to each decision. Official figures from Defence confirmed 200 permits for "military or dual-use" exports were issued in total for the three nations between 2021 and 2022. Defence declined to offer information about the weapons sales,but the ABC understands they included remote weapon stations, small arms, ammunition and armoured transport equipment. Across Europe and the United States, governments have moved to publish detailed information about their weapons sales, often including the precise arms involved, and their value. We don't know if Australia are selling arms to Israel, many are demanding answers Ms Arraf said similar transparency complaints have been made by their networks in the UK, but their system is still much clearer than Australia's. "At least in respect to the UK, they do know what are the licenses, what is being exported, what dates they've been exported," Ms Arraf said. "Here, we just don't know anything." Dr Sanders said there was no public transparency obligation Australia needed to follow under the Arms Trade Treaty and details about what exactly is sold are often kept confidential due to national security risks. Activists turn attention to weapons The Greens have launched campaigns to halt military exports to Israel, saying "Australia should not be fuelling war crimes and conflict so a small number of arms dealers can make money". They have called Australia's export system "one of the most secretive and unaccountable in the world". During the past week, its public petition has garnered nearly 30,000 signatures. A group of more than 300 lawyers in Australia last week wrote to the prime minister, foreign minister and other senior government figures urging for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, and called for a halt in defence exports. Meanwhile, activists across Australia have been holding demonstrations at Port Melbourne and Port Botany in Sydney, in abid to disrupt what they believe are arms shipments to Israel. About 50 tents were set up at Port Melbourne over the past six days, with activists vowing to camp out "until we are confident that no weapons will leave Australia for genocide". Protesters have gathered in Port Melbourne to put pressure on the government and disrupt military exports to Israel. (ABC News: Zena Chamas) Human Rights Watch (HRW) has also warned that countries providing weapons risk being complicit in "grave abuses". It called for allies of Israel and backers of Palestinian armed groups to suspend the transfer of arms to the warring parties in Israel and Gaza. "Civilians are being punished and killed at a scale unprecedented in recent history in Israel and Palestine," Bruno Stagno, chief advocacy officer at HRW, said in a statement. "The United States, Iran and other governments risk being complicit in grave abuses if they continue to provide military assistance to known violators." Although voices are getting louder, Strategic Analysis Australia's Michael Shoebridge said it was unlikely countries would take that path. Germany's arms exports to Israel have surged over the past month. And US media reported last week that the State Department had approved a $US320 million ($500 million) sale of guided bomb equipment kits Israel has used during its bombing campaign in Gaza. "Israel is under an absolute spotlight for their conduct," Mr Shoebridge said. "But despite a lot of the noise in claims, there hasn't been a strong legal case that they are not doing their best to apply relevant law of armed conflict."
no, it's called: Netanyahu, America & the Road to War in Gaza (full documentary) | FRONTLINE' https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/documentary/netanyahu-america-the-road-to-war-in-gaza/
Let's take a look at the over 100 hostages kidnapped and still being held by Hamas. Sadly many of them may have already been executed by the terrorist group. It is interesting to note that many of the family members of these hostages are demanding not a single aid truck be allowed into Gaza until their family members are returned. The Israeli hostages still missing It has been 100 days since the savage October 7 attack by Hamas on Israel – these are the hostages that still remain in captivity https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/20...tine-war-100-days-hamas-hostages-october-7th/ One-hundred days after the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, more than 100 hostages remain in captivity in Gaza. Hamas said the fate of many remaining hostages had become unknown, and that some “may have been killed”. Amid the escalating war, and fears of wider regional conflict, it is easy to forget the original victims. Here they are: 0-10 years old Ariel Bibas, 4 Kfir Bibas, 10 months (Lengthy article with pictures of all the hostages at url above)
I thought you said they were all dead and Israel should just level everything because they were corpses anyway? We haven't heard from the families you say? Gee, i wonder why?
Listening to a right wing Israel's point of view is like listening to Trumps point of view, but @gwb-trading can't seem to comprehend that point. The IDF's main mission is destruction imo, not hostage release. Hostages are highly likely colateral damage in the bombing. Oh, and @gwb-trading please continue to conveniently overlook in your biased mind how many hostages have been point blank shot by trigger happy unprofessional IDF soldiers.