A rally outside NSW Labor headquarters on July 10, organised by Stop the War in Palestine 鈥 Sydney, expressed support for Western Australian Senator Fatima Payman.
It was addressed by trade union and student activists, as well as Lachlan Good, who resigned from Labor over its poor treatment of Payman, including its refusal to implement policy to recognise the state of Palestine.
鈥淚 resigned from the ALP last week, after being a member for many years and an office bearer, in reaction to the resignation of Senator Payman and the disgusting treatment she has faced from the parliamentary caucus,鈥 Good said.
鈥淩ecognition of the Palestinian state is ALP policy 鈥 as determined by the national conference, by its delegates elected by affiliated unions and rank and file members.鈥
For Labor MPs to refuse to implement that binding policy and to pressure Payman to resign was 鈥渄isgusting鈥, Good said, adding that it 鈥渂etrays its basic values, its democratically elected delegates and its members鈥.
Teacher unionist and member of the Teachers and School Staff for Palestine (NSW) Olivia Serougi, urged other members of Labor to follow Payman鈥檚 lead and 鈥渂reak ranks with the Labor leadership鈥.
鈥淭he Labor government should recognise the state of Palestine. They should expel the Israeli ambassador,鈥 she said.
鈥淥ur government should impose immediate sanctions on Israel.
鈥淓very time Israel massacres civilians, every time Israel burns children alive, [Palestinians] look around the world to countries like Australia for consequences. Yet none come and so the horror just continues.鈥
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