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A high-ranking Labor MP, Josh Burns, a Jewish man from Melbourne, and Bassem Abdo, the son of Palestinian refugees, pulled out of presenting the party's Israel/Palestine policy in Adelaide on Saturday due to disagreements over the wording.

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Labor's national conference is underway in Adelaide, where the party aims to present a unified front on the contentious issue of Israel/Palestine. The conference is supposed to be a celebration of the party's policy, but disagreements have emerged over the wording of the manifesto.

Executive Council of Australian Jewry co-chief executive Peter Wertheim condemned Labor for removing a call for listed terror group Hamas to disarm from its draft policy platform. Wertheim said the draft platform lacked balance and failed to reflect the government's stated policy positions.

Wertheim, a longtime confidant of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, said the draft platform regurgitated the same old "one-eyed obsession with blaming Israel." He also questioned why the Labor party was not backing the government's position on excluding Hamas and requiring the Palestinian Authority to honour commitments for governance reform.

Wertheim pointed out that even Hamas itself had acknowledged the government's stance by announcing a hand-over of its government functions to a US-backed technocratic committee. However, the Labor party's latest draft platform only referred to Hamas as a terrorist group in passing.

The Israeli embassy in Canberra responded to the controversy by saying that several elements of the draft national platform risked placing responsibility for the conflict on one party while giving insufficient attention to the decisions, conduct, and obligations of the Palestinian leadership and terrorist organisations like Hamas.

Wertheim and Albanese formed a bond two decades ago when Albanese opposed the boycott, divestment, and sanctions movement against Israel. Albanese regularly consults Wertheim on matters related to the Jewish community.

Wertheim expressed concern that the Labor party's platform failed to reflect the government's insistence that recognition of Palestinian statehood relied on commitments from the Palestinian Authority. He noted that there had been no progress towards fulfilling the commitments made by the Palestinian Authority to the Australian government.

Context

For those unfamiliar with the issue, the conflict between Israel and Palestine has been ongoing for decades, with both sides claiming a right to the same land. The international community has been trying to find a solution, but talks have stalled in recent years.

Peter Wertheim: Who is he?

Wertheim is the co-chief executive of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, the peak Jewish body in Australia. He has been a confidant of Albanese for over 20 years and has frequently advised him on matters related to the Jewish community.

Labour Party's Israel/Palestine controversy: Key Facts

  • The Labour party's national conference is underway in Adelaide.
  • The party's Israel/Palestine policy has been a subject of controversy.
  • The policy draft platform was recently amended to be tougher on Israel and less demanding of the Palestinian side.
  • Labour MP Josh Burns and Bassem Abdo, the son of Palestinian refugees, withdrew from presenting the party's Israel/Palestine policy due to disagreements.
  • Wertheim accused Labour of lacking balance and failing to reflect the government's stated policy positions.
  • Wertheim questioned the labour party's decision to remove calls for Hamas to disarm from the draft policy platform.
  • Wertheim pointed out that even Hamas acknowledged the government's stance by handing over its government functions to a US-backed technocratic committee.