Should Australia strengthen trade and investment with Israel?

FPM members have been busily preparing submissions to DFAT to deter the Australian government from strengthen trade and investment with Israel. One of these very detailed submissions is provided here for your information.

The summary of the submission reads:

When considering any international agreement, countries must consider a broad range of factors- compliance with international law, any effect, beneficial or otherwise, to that country’s international standing and of course, economic benefit. It is not something to be done lightly and without due consideration to all ramifications and implications.

Israel blatantly ignores international law and disregards UN resolutions, receives widespread international condemnation for its actions in the occupied Palestinian territory, is being investigated by the International Criminal Court for alleged war crimes and is the subject of a global boycott, divest and sanction campaign

To openly increase our ties with such a country would make Australia a complicit partner. It normalises the blockade of Gaza, severely damages our international reputation and standing, and potentially puts us at risk of economic sanctions. In fact, it is for exactly this reason that where a country is engaging in such serious violations of international law, that Third States like Australia have our own international law obligations to not engage with that State in ways that give recognition, legitimacy, assistance and aid to maintain the status quo.1 In other words, if Australia is to enter into this agreement with Israel, we will be in violation of our obligations under international law.