The Australian Labor Party (Caulfield / Caulfield South Branch) notes the amendment of the National Platform as it relates to Israel and Palestine recommended by Shadow Cabinet and the National Executive Committee and made at the recent 2021 National Platform Conference.
The amended National Platform now calls upon a future Labor Government to recognise a Palestinian State albeit at a time of the potential government’s choosing.
The Branch expresses its disappointment that the change solely focussed on the prospect of Palestinian statehood and failed to recognise significant geopolitical developments such as the signing of the Abraham Accords between Israel, and the United Arab Emirates and the United States of America, and the Bahrain – Israel normalisation agreement.
Furthermore, the Branch notes its alarm at the National Platform Conference’s censure of debate on a motion which would have made recognition of Palestinian State conditional on any such being democratic in nature based on the rule of law with appropriate protections for trade unions and members of Palestinian LGBTI+ communities.
The Caulfield Branch / Caulfield South Branch notes that notwithstanding the democratic principles upon which the ALP is based, only a limited debate of Israel and Palestine has been permitted at the last three National Conferences (2015, 2018 & 2021), justified on the assertion that it shields the Party from ridicule and embarrassment.
The Caulfield Branch / Caulfield South Branch calls upon the next National Conference to allow an open and democratic debate on Israel and Palestine in which all delegates, including Jewish delegates, are permitted to participate. Furthermore, the Branch invites the National President and National Secretary to address a meeting of the Branch on how this can be achieved.
The Caulfield Branch / Caulfield South Branch Secretary is asked to send copies of this resolution to the National President, National Secretary, Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs and the Caucus Secretary.