Sydney Knitting Nannas & Friends express our horror at the Israeli government’s crimes against humanity and their genocidal acts [1] against the Palestinian people in Gaza. We abhor the use of deliberate starvation as a weapon of war, now being added to continued bombings and killings of unarmed civilians over many months.
We are a grassroots organisation advocating for real action on climate change and protection of water, land and air for future generations. We recognise that the assault on the Palestinian people and the obliteration of the built and natural environment of Gaza has created a humanitarian crisis and environmental pollution of water, land and air on a massive scale.
We endorse calls by international organisations including Amnesty International and Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) for Australian government actions to stop Israel’s destruction of Palestine and its people. This should include all available channels of action to restore the ceasefire and ensure that greatly increased international aid is delivered quickly and independently of Israel and the US.
After months of silence our Prime Minister recently expressed deep disquiet at the ongoing blockade of food, water and medical supplies to the starving people in Gaza. We call on him to do much more. A concerted campaign is needed, including the following four areas of action:
PROTECT LIVES: Australia must impose all diplomatic tools—including targeted consequences for violations of international law—on the state of Israel, its leaders and military personnel and uphold its international responsibilities by leading efforts to protect civilians in Gaza, including through new and urgent mechanisms.
LIFT THE SIEGE: Demand an immediate end to the siege of Gaza. Food, water, medical care and shelter materials must be allowed in. Palestinians must no longer be trapped under constant attack. A full ceasefire and safe aid access must happen now. The Government of Israel’s escalation of attacks on Gaza must be met with progressively tougher punitive measures from Australia.
STOP WEAPONISING AID: Publicly stand up for International Humanitarian Law (IHL) by calling out the use of food, water, and medicine as weapons of war. Australia must lead efforts to strengthen IHL instruments that prohibit the weaponisation of aid and make sure nothing we export to Israel, either directly or indirectly, is used to deliberately harm Palestinians or block life-saving aid.
UPHOLD THE RIGHT TO PROTEST: Federal and state governments must uphold the right to freedom of expression, including the right to protest, and cease the silencing and punishment of those in the community, the arts, media and government who speak out against the Israeli government’s violence and repression in Palestine.
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Sydney Knitting Nannas commend the 12 human rights activists, including Greta Thunberg, on their attempt to sail to Gaza on the Madleen to deliver humanitarian aid. We call for their release and thank them for their peaceful direct action which has been an inspiration to ordinary people to stand up for justice and humanity when their leaders are failing to do so.
[1] Genocide case pending before the International Court of Justice https://www.icj-cij.org/pending-cases ; genocidal acts described in UN Report of the Commission of Inquiry 13 March 2025 https://www.un.org/unispal/document/report-of-the-commission-of-inquiry-israel-gender-based-violence-13march2025/