More than 60 peaceful protestors recreated the Israeli prison scene in the marble foyer of Parliament House today, highlighting what they say was unprovoked violence by Israel military against unarmed civilians attempting to get urgent aid to Gazans via the Global Sumud Flotilla.
‘The group knelt with hands bound behind their backs replicating the “stress position” that the volunteers were forced to hold while imprisoned by Israel. The assembly held the space for several minutes of silence, before Parliamentary security began removing protestors, one-by-one. As each person was escorted out, they shared personal statements of solidarity with Palestinians and demands for more action from the government’.
Surya McEwan said in a statement, ‘The Prime Minister has said that he can’t respond without knowing our circumstances. I left Israeli prison with a fractured cheekbone, a fractured rib, a contusion of my lung and a concussion, after I was kicked and punched so many times I lost count. We are happy to show Mr Albanese our injuries and describe in graphic detail how we and other humanitarian volunteers from almost 50 countries were repeatedly beaten, sexually assaulted and abused by the Israeli military.
‘There can be no doubt that the video posted by Ben-Gvir does not depict the isolated behaviour of one individual, or an isolated incident. The treatment of humanitarian volunteers is entirely consistent with Israel’s genocide against Palestinians and should be treated as such. It is time for the Prime Minister to stand up to Benjamin Netanyahu and say: you cannot kidnap and assault Australian citizens, you cannot continue your genocide in Palestine, and we will use all tools at our disposal to enforce the Genocide Convention and protect innocent civilans. Australia must immediately cut all diplomatic ties to Israel’, he said.
Zack Schofield added, ‘We’re here to show Albo how his friends in Israel treat Australians. We know they systematically rape Palestinians in their prisons, and they’ve sexually assaulted and beaten our own citizens trying to get aid to Gaza. Until Albanese ends diplomatic relationships with this state charged with genocide, none of us can be proud to be Australian.’
Ethan Floyd was part of the first Flotilla mission that was intercepted in international waters near Greece in April. ‘Israel cannot be allowed to continue acting with impunity. This is a rogue state, and one which Australia should not call a friend or an ally.
“We’re calling on the Australian government to impose real sanctions, political and economic, on the State of Israel. Today’s disruption at Parliament House demonstrates that Australians are not willing to accept the silence of the ALP Government, while Israel illegally abducts and abuses our own citizens and continues to systematically oppress, displace and erase the people of Palestine.’
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