Australia: Don’t allow arms exports to Israel
As people in Gaza face relentless bombardment, death, and destruction on an unprecedented scale, Amnesty International is calling for a comprehensive national arms embargo on Israel, Hamas and other armed groups, as well as transparent national control system for arms exports in Australia.
Because of Australia’s opaque approval process for arms transfers, we don’t know what arms are exported, to what country, or for what purpose. The Government has consistently reiterated that Australia has not exported weapons directly to Israel for 5 years. However, it is unclear whether weapons parts and ammunition/munitions manufactured in Australia have been approved for export where there is a chance that Israel will be the end user.
Thales Australia, who manufacture TNT for 155mm artillery ammunition shells out of Benalla in Victoria, as well as completed M795 155mm projectiles, likely provide these to the US through approved defence export permits. In December 2023 a $147.5 million export permit from the US to Israel for 155mm shells was approved. Part of this permit was M795 155mm shells, which are the same kind manufactured by Thales in Benalla, meaning that Australian manufactured ammunition/munitions might be being used by the Israeli Defence Force in Gaza.
War crimes committed during the outbreak of conflict since 7 October 2023 by Israeli forces include direct attacks on civilians and civilian objects and indiscriminate attacks. Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups have committed war crimes including the deliberate killing of civilians, hostage-taking and launching indiscriminate rocket attacks into Israel.
So while the statement that Australia has not directly exported weapons to Israel may be accurate, Amnesty International maintains serious concerns as to Australia’s adherence to its international obligations regarding arms transfers. And the reality is that even if Australian-made arms are not being used by Israel in Gaza, it is impossible for Australians to know.
Because people all around Australia have urged the government to take action, the government has called for a ceasefire. Together, we can ensure nothing manufactured in Australia contributes to death and destruction in Gaza.
Amnesty International is calling on all states to impose a comprehensive arms embargo against all parties to the conflict because of the risk that arms will be used to commit or facilitate serious violations of international humanitarian or human rights law.
Sign the petition calling for the Government to not allow the export of any arms to Israel including arms parts.
Join us in making a difference.
This petition is brought to you by Politic in partnership with Amnesty International Australia.
Read the letter
Richard Marles, Minister for Defence
PO Box 6022
House of Representatives
Parliament House
Canberra ACT 2600
Dear Minister,
We, the undersigned, write with concern for the ongoing carnage in Gaza. While we welcome the government’s statement that “Australia has not supplied weapons to Israel since the start of the Hamas-Israeli conflict,” we wish to note that it is not clear if this includes exports of weapons parts where the Israeli Defence Force is the end user.
Australia’s defence export approval process needs reform. What is approved is not public, nor is the end user of the export public, and there is no end-use monitoring of the export. I call on the Australian Government to:
- Immediately impose a comprehensive national arms embargo on Israel, Hamas and other armed groups until there is no longer a substantial risk that arms could be used to commit or facilitate serious violations of international human rights or humanitarian law; and effective accountability mechanisms are in place;
- In addition, the Australian government should impose strict human rights-based end-use/end-user agreements on recipients of arms and ensure that they are implemented through proactive monitoring and robust post-delivery controls; and;
- Looking forward, the Australian government must adopt a transparent national control system that provides as much up-to-date and publicly accessible information as possible on the quantity, type, dollar value, final destination, end user and end use of all military and dual-use equipment and munitions, including parts and components.
Yours sincerely,
Australia: Don’t allow arms exports to Israel
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SUPPORTER VOICES - REASONS FOR SIGNING
Innocent people are being punished in the middle of some insane battle. BACK OFF! All of you 😠
Kristy
0000-00-00 00:00:00
I wont have genocide iny name with my tax dollars. The GoA has a responsbility to their citizens not to America. Remember the warnin Iraq, unjustified American terrorism. Here we are again. Not In My Name.
Lia
0000-00-00 00:00:00
the Israeli regime terrorist's are murderers. It didn't start 13 months ago ! The murdering of Palestinians has been going on for decades ! free Palestine
Linda
0000-00-00 00:00:00
My tax dollars shouldn’t be paying for Genocide. ISRAEL IS NOT OUR ALLY
Ramzey
0000-00-00 00:00:00
The people of Gaza deserve life, they deserve to live and be happy and free as any people do.
Lucas
0000-00-00 00:00:00
Isrrael is committing a genocide and causing unbelievable suffering to the people of Palestine.
Silvia
0000-00-00 00:00:00
war is a futile example of human behaviour . world leaders should be ashamed
Stephen
0000-00-00 00:00:00
I cannot condone genocide. I cannot accept that my country actively supports genocide.
Gabriella
0000-00-00 00:00:00
The future of collective humanity rests on the decisions we make in supporting the perpetration of war crimes and genocide against our remote human beings. There is NOTHING that justifies mass slaughter. Not one thing. I cannot envision a future for myself or my children and grandchildren if we allow our so-called leaders to continue to, not only sit idly by, but actively participate in the perpetration of these unconscionable crimes against humanity. Human lives over money and power. Otherwise, what is the point of anything? How can we expect the human race to survive and thrive into the future, if we destroy our souls with hatred and violence against one another? We can’t move forward at all, unless we come together and fight the division being forced between us by propagandists and belligerent policy makers who do not have the best interests of humanity at heart
MWE
0000-00-00 00:00:00
we should not be assisting the killing of innocent people ..
David
0000-00-00 00:00:00
Too many innocent people are dying. Treating all civilians as terrorists is totally unacceptable.
Evelyne
0000-00-00 00:00:00
Because Holocausts are wrong killing innocent children abd women and men is wrong and becaude israel has had too much of a firm grip around the neck of this world and the global shift has begun we cannot go back
Davide
0000-00-00 00:00:00
The war in Gaza is genocide - no country should be supporting Israel.
Elizabeth
0000-00-00 00:00:00
I am appalled at the genocide occurring in Gaza and the lack of accountability of Netanyahu and co.
Jakki
0000-00-00 00:00:00
The Australian prople are more important than any war. The miney shoukd go to the Australian Citizens living in australia.
Brigitte
0000-00-00 00:00:00
I'M opposed to the catastrophic level of death, destruction and human suffering to which is being criminally rained down in the people of Gaza, with Australia effectively contributin to the slaughter.
Lynda
0000-00-00 00:00:00
Because Israel are committing genocide in both Gaza and Palestine with only onbe goal in mind - land acquisition ! israel has ceased carry about the massive Palestine body count. It is becoming an expansionist power which does'nt give a shit what the rest of the the civilised world thinks of its actions !!!
Robbie
0000-00-00 00:00:00
The USA is manufacturing and supplying all the weapons. As an American, I am ashamed of the action. Disgraceful.
Marie-Louise
0000-00-00 00:00:00
As a once long time supporter of Israel, I now realise I was naive; duped by an active campaign to deceive me. I now understand the terrible injustice and international crime that is Israel.Far from supporting it’s genocidal war, we should be Dismantling Israel and dispersing Israelis.
Greg
0000-00-00 00:00:00
The Palestinians deserve the right to self determination & a state of their own. These two things are basic human rights. End the occupation now.
Kris
0000-00-00 00:00:00
Palestine nothing justifies the death of so many innocent people the world should be ashamed and Australia should not be arming a country that continues to carpet bomb civilians
Sadmir
0000-00-00 00:00:00
Israel is committing a genocide in Palestine, Lebanon and surrounding countries by purposefully targeting civilians including Australian citizens.
Hanna
0000-00-00 00:00:00
I don’t support Australian tax payers money going towards the slaughter of innocent children and civilians
Elijah
0000-00-00 00:00:00
The atrocities occurring in Gaza and Lebanon cannot be ignored. Something must be done to stop the ethnic cleansing and the destruction of communities. Not to mention, most of the casualties have been women and children.
Katia
0000-00-00 00:00:00
The state of Israel is illegally occupying Palestinian land and conducting a war against a defenceless population and provision of any support to Israel in conducting this war is complicity in the murder and maiming of thousands on innocent people and the destruction of their homes and infrastructure. This follows on from decades of occupation and denial of basic human rights which Israel has been able to do with impunity because of the wests failure to act.
Jfen
0000-00-00 00:00:00
Israel have commited genocide for the past 76 years and 2024 is the pinical of this atrocity.
Steve
0000-00-00 00:00:00
The killing of people, other animals and the environment has to stop
Diana
2024-10-31 16:25:26
i love your cause
Khurram
0000-00-00 00:00:00
Enough killing civilians and children
Kamal
2024-10-25 23:27:31
To stop the genocide of Gazans, Israel is now full blown aggressor and is a failure.
Sante
2024-10-25 10:56:32
I’m supporting palistine… stop funding
Amal
2024-10-25 09:56:26
I hate genocide, sick and tired of seeing Israel commit atrocities with impunity.
Rafah
2024-10-24 19:02:20
It’s wrong to fund or supply a genocide
Omar
2024-10-24 17:07:45