Condemnation of Israel’s genocidal actions in Gaza is continuing to grow both in Australia and around the world.
On 7 May 2025, more than 20 independent experts linked to the UN’s Human Rights Council said that the world faced a “stark decision” to “remain passive and witness the slaughter of innocents or take part in crafting a just resolution”. The experts implored the international community to avert the “moral abyss we are descending into.”1
More recently on the 9 May 2025, over 700 members of Australia’s legal profession signed a letter expressing their “profound concerns about the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza” and urged the Australian government “to do everything it can to end the hostilities and protect innocent civilians from further death, destruction, famine and plausible genocide.”
Among the signatories were practising barristers and solicitors, legal academics and law students.
This latest letter follows an initial letter dated 11 November 2023 that was signed by over 1,400 members of the legal profession. The Australian Government, however, continues to reject calls for more decisive action, despite escalating attacks and a strategy of starvation now being inflicted on Palestinians by Israel across the Gaza Strip.
The latest letter reiterates that international law must be consistently applied and that Australia has a responsibility to ensure that all nations, without exception, abide by it.
In order to immediately fulfil its international legal obligations, the letter calls on the Albanese Labor government to immediately implement the following ten urgent actions:
- Continue to work actively and effectively to promote and secure a permanent ceasefire in Gaza and to secure the release of Israeli hostages held by Hamas in Gaza;
- Take all available measures to ensure safe access to and delivery of the essentials of existence and medical assistance to Palestinians in Gaza, including confirmation that Australian funding to UNRWA will continue and increase with need;
- Impose sanctions upon individuals and entities who have made statements inciting genocide against Palestinians;
- Impose bans upon Australians and any Australian-based organisations from funding illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank in violation of international law;
- Ensure a comprehensive, independent, Australian investigation into the death of humanitarian aid workers from World Central Kitchen including Australian Zomi Frankcom; and that actions are taken in response to the findings, including referring the incident and the situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory to the International Criminal Court;
- Suspend all military exports, including dual purpose supplies and services and aid exports to Israel while the risk of genocide in Gaza continues;
- Suspend intelligence sharing with the Israeli Defence Force (IDF) via Pine Gap Joint Defence Facility;
- Cancel all defence contracts with any Israeli defence contractors involved in Gaza such as Elbit Systems and cancellation of any arms purchases/imports from Israel while the risk of genocide in Gaza continues;
- Significantly increase the categories of humanitarian visas for Palestinians in Gaza for permanent resettlement in Australia;
- Commit to investigating the conduct of any Australian citizens or residents who have travelled to Israel to serve in the IDF since 7 October 2023 for possible atrocity crimes pursuant to Chapter 8, Division 268 of the Criminal Code Act 1995 (Cth) (the Code).
Coordinator of the most recent letter, Greg Barns SC, a former National President of the Australian Lawyers Alliance stated:
It is increasingly clear that Israel is isolated globally, and its actions in Gaza are undermining the international legal system. States like Australia, that are parties to conventions such as the Genocide convention, are required to act to prevent this.
Another coordinator, lawyer and author Lizzie O’Shea said:
The people of Palestine have suffered immeasurably over the last seven months. The international legal system claims to protect their rights, the Australian Government has a critical role to play in making this a reality.
Also, signatory to the letter, Dr Melanie O’Brien, Associate Professor of International Law at the UWA Law School and President of the International Association of Genocide Scholars noted:
All countries have been put on notice by the International Court of Justice that there are obligations under the laws of war and the Genocide Convention to ensure they and other countries comply with their obligations under those laws. Australia should cease military dealings with Israel and pressure Israel and Hamas to stop any violations of the laws of war. Australia should also push Israel to comply with its obligations under the Genocide Convention, which would in turn ensure Australia complies with its own obligation to prevent genocide.
A summary and list of signatories attached to the recent letter can be found here.
The full text of the 29 page letter can be accessed here. Useful elaborations of the ten actions are contained in the letter.
Notes
1. Al Jazeera, ‘UN experts warn of ‘annihilation’ as Gaza deaths mount’, May 8, 2025.