Community Update
Australian Muslim Community Leaders Meeting with
the Prime Minister & Minister for Foreign Affairs
On Wednesday, 1 November, a delegation of nine Australian Muslim community leaders and
representatives (Delegation) met with the Prime Minister, the Hon Anthony Albanese, and
Minister for Foreign Affairs, Senator Penny Wong, in Sydney. The purpose of this meeting was to
raise directly the community’s concerns about the recent crisis in Gaza – Palestine. The meeting
lasted for approximately 90 minutes and was at the request of the Delegation.
The Delegation included the following community representatives from different States:
1. Imam Shadi Alsuleiman Australian National Imams Council NSW
2. Dr Ibrahim Abu Mohamad Grand Mufti of Australia NSW
3. Bilal Rauf Australian National Imams Council, NSW
4. Ramia Abdo Sultan Australian National Imams Council NSW
5. Tariq Nashar Islamic Society Victoria VIC
6. Mahammed Fahour Islamic Society Victoria VIC
7. Ali Kadri Islamic College of Brisbane QLD
8. Habib Jamal Queensland Muslims Inc QLD
9. Abdullah Khan Islamic Schools Association of Australia WA
The key points made by the Delegation in the meeting were:
1. There is a severe humanitarian crisis in Gaza with a high death toll, injuries,
displacement and missing individuals, including children, due to Israeli Government actions
aimed at civilian populations.
2. Urgent action is required to prevent further atrocities by the Israeli Government and its
forces against innocent civilians.
3. The delegation conveyed the feeling of hurt in their communities. It is important that the
Government engage in dialogue to address these concerns.
4. The long-standing oppression of the Palestinian people with decades of occupation,
and insufficient international support. This historical context cannot be ignored in
understanding the ongoing conflict.
The Delegation raised concern about worsening humanitarian conditions and civilian
casualties in Gaza. We raised our view that there has been a lack of acknowledgment of the
grievances and losses of Palestinian civilians in Gaza and the transgressions committed against
them. The Delegation expressed the need to precisely call out the transgressions of the
Israeli Government, including its use of ‘collective punishment’.
Human rights and International Law violations by the Israeli Government, such as the siege on
Gaza, are a significant concern. The siege has denied food, water, medical assistance and basic
necessities to more than 2.2 million civilians in Gaza. Further, over a million people fleeing north
Gaza were exposed to bombing in south Gaza. We also raised the issue of the Australian
Government’s abstention from voting on a UN resolution aimed at the protection of civilians and
humanitarian assistance.
The delegation also raised that statements by politicians can have a profound impact on the
cohesiveness of our society and have a profound impact on the community’s wellbeing. The
meeting discussed the role we can all play by ensuring our language encourages social cohesion.
The Government noted that they have consistently called for humanitarian pauses on
hostilities, so food, water, medicine and other essential assistance can reach people in desperate
need, and so civilians can get to safety. They also outlined the bipartisan motion passed by the
Parliament.
The Prime Minister also noted that the Australian Government has made decisions
consistent with his longstanding concern for the Palestinian people, including reversing the
previous Government’s recognition of West Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, reaffirming
Australia’s position that Jerusalem is a final status issue; adopting the nomenclature of Occupied
Palestinian Territories; doubled funding to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for
Palestine Refugees; and affirmed that settlements are illegal under International Law.
The meeting was candid, open and constructive. The Prime Minister and Foreign Minister
listened attentively to the Delegation’s concerns and recognised the deep distress and pain that
the community is experiencing. They conveyed their condolences to all Australian Palestinian
families that have lost family members in the Occupied Palestinian Territories and Gaza.
The Delegation extends its thanks and appreciation to the Prime Minister and Minister for
Foreign Affairs for their time and listening to the concerns which were raised. The Government
took on the concerns raised in the meeting and the delegation welcomes the Government
expressing that the “international community will not accept ongoing civilian deaths”
The situation demands urgent attention given the escalating civilian deaths, injuries and
displacement.
On behalf of the Delegation