‘Gaslighting’: Labor backbencher lashes government's response to Gaza invasion
A Labor backbencher has criticised Australian leaders for “gaslighting the global community” in the most strident public criticism of the Albanese government’s response to the Israel-Hamas conflict from one of its own MPs.
A Labor backbencher has demanded Australia cancel trade with Israel and immediately recognise a Palestinian state, in the most strident public criticism of the Albanese government’s approach to the conflict in Gaza from one of its own MPs.
On Wednesday, first-term senator Fatima Payman declared Israel’s attacks on the densely-populated strip a “genocide” and "terrorism", chiding Australia’s leaders for “performatively gesturing [while] defending the oppressor’s right to oppress”.
“I am terrified at my own inadequacy in standing for what I believe. My conscience has been uneasy for far too long and I must call this out for what it is. This is a genocide and we need to stop pretending otherwise,” she said.
“I ask our prime minister and our fellow parliamentarians: how many international rights laws must Israel break for us to say enough? What is the magic number?
