Israel pans draft of Australia’s ruling Labor party’s platform ahead of debate

Israel took the unusual step on Monday of speaking out against a draft of the platform of Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s Labor Party, criticizing it as one-sided and saying it did adequately address the responsibility of the Palestinian Authority and Hamas in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

In what media reports framed as highly unconventional involvement by a foreign power in the internal activities of a political party, the Israeli Embassy in Canberra issued a lengthy statement detailing its issues with the draft, which is to be debated at a Labor Party national conference later this week.

It said: “The embassy respectfully submits that several elements of the draft platform risk placing responsibility for the conflict on one party while giving insufficient attention to the decisions, conduct and continuing obligations of the Palestinian leadership and terrorist organizations such as Hamas.”

Israel “remains committed to a future in which Israelis and Palestinians live alongside one another in peace and security,” the statement continued. “That future, however, cannot be built through unilateral political declarations or international pressure directed at only one side.”

The embassy said it “notes these policy motions are still in draft form, and will continue to engage constructively with the Australian Labor Party through the usual diplomatic channels.”

Foreign Minister Penny Wong did not comment to media on the Israeli Embassy’s statement.

Minister for International Development and Multicultural Affairs Anne Aly said: “The Israeli embassy can put out what they want to say.”

In an interview with ABC Radio National, Employment Minister Amanda Rishworth said the matter is up to the party to debate internally, according to the Sydney Morning Herald.

“We have unequivocally condemned Hamas, including for the atrocities of the 7th of October and its ongoing acts of terror,” the minister said. “We want to see a two-state solution in which Israelis and Palestinians can live in secure borders, and I think our prime minister and our government’s been pretty clear about that.”

The draft up for consideration has more to say about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict than the previous platform document from 2023. That had just a few lines which dealt with recognition of a Palestinian state, something the Australian government followed through with in September 2025.

The new draft reportedly goes into details of motions to express opposition to the annexation of the West Bank and Gaza, and calls to end settler violence and Israel’s military control of the territories. It also condemns the laws recently passed by the Knesset authorizing the death penalty for Palestinians convicted of deadly terror attacks on Israelis, and backs the International Criminal Court’s arrest warrant against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

The draft “unreservedly condemns terrorism and violent extremism, including as perpetrated by Hamas.”

The Albanese government also announced $25 million in aid for Palestinians, including assistance for recovery in Gaza, and support to “strengthen the institutional foundations of the State of Palestine.”

In its statement on Monday, the Israeli embassy described settler violence as a “reprehensible but marginal phenomenon” and complained the draft gave it “disproportionate attention.”

It also said that “those seeking peace would be better served to focus its scrutiny on the terrorism experienced by both Jewish and Arab Israelis at the hands of terrorist groups such as Hamas.”

According to the UK Guardian newspaper, an earlier version of the draft had the line “Hamas must disarm and can have no role in the State of Palestine,” but that clause was dropped from the draft that will be brought to the conference.

“Any reduction of pressure on Hamas and its redirection towards Israel will continue to empower the terrorist organization,” the embassy said.

The Australian Palestinian Advocacy Network (APAN) is lobbying for the draft to take a sterner stance against Israel, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation reported.

“That means ending defense exports that risk contributing to atrocities, confronting the illegal settlement enterprise, and ensuring Australia meets its obligations under international law,” said APAN executive officer Katie Shammas.

Israel’s relations with Australia have been tense in the years following the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led invasion of southern Israel that sparked the war in the Gaza Strip. Canberra has condemned Israeli actions in its war against Hamas, while Jerusalem has charged that Australia has done little to combat the mounting antisemitism that culminated in the December mass shooting attack at a Hanukkah event in which 15 people were killed.