Australia must break its silence on Gaza

Dear friends,
I write to you with deep sadness about the situation in Gaza. I have received many inquiries about what the Greens are doing in response to the Israeli invasion.

Last night, I watched a very powerful clip from British Channel 4’s Jon Snow about his recent trip to Gaza. He speaks movingly about what is happening to the children of Gaza. Over 1310 children have been injured and over 166 have been killed.
In Australia 55 politicians including Greens leader Christine Milne and former Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser have added their name to a letter calling on all politicians to support an immediate cessation of hostilities and a ceasefire deal which includes an end to Israel's occupation of the Palestinian territories and to the blockade of Gaza.
If your MP has not signed this statement, I would encourage you to contact them and urge that they do so.

The death toll is now above 1360 with over 7,600 wounded since the July 8 start of fighting.

I have been encouraged by the hundreds and thousands of people all over the world who are protesting against these horrific attacks on Palestinians first in the West Bank and now in Gaza.
I don't want to see any rockets being fired into Israel. But this conflict is not one between equal partners: there is an oppressor and there are the oppressed. The framing of this war as one between equals is insulting and wrong.
The Australian Greens National Council issued this statement about the current situation.
In Parliament, I spoke about how the Israeli settlements in the occupied territories remain illegal and pose a fundamental barrier to the peace process.
My colleague Greens NSW MP David Shoebridge and I have put out the following statements in recent weeks:

Gaza: 680 dead, 3700 injured, entire families wiped out; any deal must include an end to the occupation - click here
Israel's "collective punishment" kills civilians: Gaza's Ark destroyed - click here
Australia must end the silence on Palestine - click here.

If you are looking for an appeal to support, I recommend Union Aid Abroad-APHEDA’s Gaza Emergency Humanitarian Appeal.
Australia must break its silence on Israel’s atrocities in Gaza and halt all military cooperation and military trade with Israel.
The Greens are deeply committed to justice and peace for the people of Palestine and we will continue to stand with them in their struggle to achieve this.
During this time of Eid, my thoughts are with the people of Palestine.
Regards
Senator Lee Rhiannon