As the war in Israel and Palestine enters its second year and spreads throughout the surrounding region, the Human Rights Law Centre mourns the unthinkable scale of destruction and loss of life.

Over the past year, the Israel Defense Forces has displaced virtually the entire population of Gaza. [1] At least 41,252 Palestinian people have been killed and 95,497 injured in Gaza. [2] In the occupied West Bank, over 700 people have been killed, overwhelmingly Palestinians [3] as the State-sanctioned construction of new settlements and settler violence continue. [4]

During and following Hamas’ violence, hostage-taking and atrocities against civilians on 7 October 2023, at least 1,195 people in Israel have been killed. Ninety-seven of the 251 people taken hostage on 7 October remain in captivity. [5] More civilians have died or risk imminent harm due to armed conflict now between the Government of Israel and Hezbollah.

No justice can bring back the entire communities, families, bloodlines, hospitals, schools, homes, hopes and futures lost.

The Human Rights Law Centre was founded with a mission to use the law to uphold and advance human rights in Australia and overseas, where there is a connection to Australia.

The conflict continues to reverberate through the community in Australia. Families across the country have lost loved ones to the war, and live in fear for those at risk of bombardment or displaced in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory, and now Lebanon, Syria and Iran. Islamophobia, [6] antisemitism [7] and anti-Palestinian [8] racism are all on the rise.

Across the country, peaceful protests against the war have been met with excessive police responses – including proposed blanket prohibitions on public gathering. [9]

The Australian Government has not provided a clear humanitarian pathway for people fleeing the conflict, [10] in marked distinction to its response to other recent humanitarian crises. Visa applications made by Palestinian people continue to be refused at high rates,[11] virtually closing off the possibility of safe passage to Australia.

Despite recent international justice processes and Australia’s own obligations under international law, the Australian Government has neither imposed an arms embargo on Israel, nor ended contracts with companies manufacturing weapons that are being used by Israel in its assault on Gaza and the West Bank. [12]

The Human Rights Law Centre reiterates its calls on the Australian Government to:

1. uphold and unequivocally support international justice mechanisms, including binding legal orders made against the State of Israel over the Occupied Palestinian Territory, the UN Independent Commission of Inquiry, the International Criminal Court and the International Court of Justice;

2. act in accordance with its international legal obligations, including as a party to the Genocide Convention. This includes to cease all military aid and assistance to the Government of Israel and terminate all contracts with the Israel Defense Forces and its contractors;

3. actively work towards a total and permanent ceasefire in Israel, the Occupied Palestinian Territory and Lebanon; and

4. immediately open humanitarian pathways without discrimination to people seeking refuge from these conflicts.

Human rights belong to all of us. The war has now reached Lebanon and beyond, and shows the threat and danger posed to people’s lives when leaders ignore our shared humanity. The destruction will affect the rights of people and communities for generations.

There must be an immediate and permanent ceasefire to avoid any further human devastation, and a clear path forward for realising self-determination for Palestinian people and holding perpetrators accountable for all serious violations of international law.

Links and references:
[1] https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/sg/statement/2024-09-27/secretary-generals-remarks-the-security-council-gaza-delivered.

[2] https://www.aljazeera.com/news/liveblog/2024/9/17/israels-war-on-gaza-live-38-killed-as-israel-risks-becoming-pariah?update=3183583.

[3] https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/sg/statement/2024-09-27/secretary-generals-remarks-the-security-council-gaza-delivered.

[4] https://news.un.org/en/story/2024/09/1154496.

[5] https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-67053011.

[6] https://www.sbs.com.au/language/english/en/podcast-episode/islamophobia-in-everyday-life/p7i501gxx and https://islamophobia.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Islamophobia-Register_30SEP-Press-Release.docx-2.pdf.

[7] https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-12-02/rise-in-islamophobia-antisemitism-amid-israel-gaza-war/103088666.

[8] https://apan.org.au/wp-content/uploads/AMAN-APAN-Anti-Racism-Report.pdf.

[9] https://www.hrlc.org.au/news/2024/10/02/nsw-police-protest-ban.

[10] https://www.unsw.edu.au/newsroom/news/2024/09/the-pressing-case-for-a-new-emergency-visa-to-help-people-fleeing-gaza.

[11] https://www.amnesty.org.au/gaza-mass-visa-rejections-for-palestinians-an-abrogation-of-australias-responsibility-in-humanitarian-crises/.

[12] https://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2024/02/arms-exports-israel-must-stop-immediately-un-experts