The Israel-Palestine war is one of long, complex history, with many forming varying viewpoints and debate over Australia’s approach to the conflict’s resolution.
As the visual of protesters hitting the streets seeking an end to the attack on Palestine fills TV screens, social media and newspapers, one Dandenong Ranges resident reminds us that at the crux of this conflict is an Australian-listed terrorist group, Hamas.
Jewish man Adrian Goodman said he understands what is happening in Gaza is horrific but that the blame has been misplaced.
“To make out that Israel is the reason for the misery of the Palestinian civilians – and not Hamas, Fatah, Arafat and their other oppressive, corrupt, jihadi leaders – is to wilfully misread history,” Mr Goodman said.
“I’m not saying that Israel is without fault, or anything like that. Every country makes mistakes, especially in a war. I would hope that Israel could be treated the same way we treat other countries.”
Australia has listed Hamas in its entirety as a terrorist organisation since 2001 for financial sanctions. The paramilitary wing of Hamas was first listed in 2003 and again in 2021.
The National Security listing highlights that Hamas wants to “‘liberate Palestine’ by establishing an independent Palestinian state — comprising Gaza, the West Bank and Israel” by adopting “terrorist tactics in their efforts to defeat Israel”.
On 7 October 2023, Hamas killed 1200 Israelis and took about 250 more hostage, which started Israel’s military action.
“Everybody is upset by the war, including myself, but please remember that there are still Israeli civilian hostages kept in tunnels for two years. Nobody wants a war, but we differ in how we think there will be lasting peace,” Mr Goodman said.
“My view is that Hamas started the war, and they shouldn’t have, and they still have the hostages. If they surrendered and gave the hostages back, there’d be no war.
“The Palestinian civilians are victims of Hamas, and I think they deserve better. I don’t want the Palestinians to suffer any more than anyone else, but to put the blame on Israel is unfair.”
The Australian Associated Press reported that the United Nations-backed Integrated Food Security Phase Classification has officially declared widespread famine in Gaza.
More than 470,000 people now face catastrophic levels of food insecurity.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the famine declaration an “outright lie”.
More than 62,000 Palestinians have been killed in the latest conflict, including more than 18,000 children, according to local health authorities.
Pro-Palestine protesters, both near and far, have been highly vocal in calling the war an act of genocide, as well as for Australia to end its manufacturing of key parts for F-35 fighter jets.
“People around Australia are sick and tired of seeing the Gaza Strip being absolutely annihilated and Israel being able to break every rule of law with full impunity,” Amal Naser, an organiser of Sydney’s largest pro-Palestine rallies, told AAP.
Mr Goodman said, however, “to minimise the number of Israelis killed, when compared to the Palestinians killed” is a “false comparison”
When speaking of the Russian-Ukrainian war, Mr Goodman said the same comparison of the death toll is not made.
The Guardian reported in June that one million Russian troops have been killed or injured, while Ukraine has suffered 400,000 casualties, but very few view the Russians as the victims.
The same could be said of other extremist groups.
“No one talks about proportionality when we’re trying to destroy the Islamic State, or ISIS,” he said.
“The example of World War II, when they were trying to defeat the Nazis, people weren’t talking about proportionality. People just realised that they needed to win the war.
“There’s a double standard that seems to happen; it seems like people don’t really support Israel for standing up for itself.”
Mr Goodman said because he speaks as one person, not on behalf of an organisation or group, he hopes people learn and educate themselves on what is happening in Israel and Palestine before making quick judgements, especially when it can be harmful to a minority.
“It’s a psychological impulse to scapegoat one group or one country, to try to make out like they’re the ones who were the terrible ones, and it’s not anyone else in the world,” he said.
“So that’s the kind of thing that concerns me, and I think it’s easy for everyone to do a bit of a pile-on on the Jews and on Israel.”
Education around the proposed two-state solution that Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has announced he supports, Mr Goodman said, was also essential to understanding how it may or may not work to establish peace.
“A two-state solution has been on the table throughout history, going back to before Israel was founded.
“When Israel was formed, there was no country called Palestine. There was only the fallen Ottoman Empire. The stated intention of the British mandate was for an Arab state to be created alongside Israel, but that was rejected by the Arabs/Palestinians.
“If they wanted a state from the newly carved up Ottoman Empire, they could have had one in 1937, and no less than 10 times since, when it’s been offered to them. They refused because they would not abide by the existence of a Jewish state.
“I think that’s often been portrayed as though Israel is the one who’s refused. They’ve tried to do that, but they keep getting attacked. If they’ve expanded their borders, it’s really because they’ve been attacked and have taken over that territory to defend themselves. So Israel hasn’t started any wars of aggression in their history.”
In a statement released in early August by the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, co-CEO Alex Ryvchin said, “It is high time to finish the work the UN started (in 1948) and acknowledge a Palestinian state alongside the Jewish one.”
“Only there’s a hitch. The reason why Palestine wasn’t created in 1948 wasn’t because of opposition to it. It wasn’t because of settler violence or Benjamin Netanyahu’s hard line or a crisis in Gaza.
“It was because the Palestinians rejected it because accepting it would mean permanently entrenching a Jewish state in the Middle East.”
The complicated nature of reaching dual statehood, which both dismantles Hamas and recognises Israel, Mr Ryvchin said, may only “encourage Hamas to keep fighting” and “invigorate the most extreme elements of the anti-Israel movement”.
The Jewish Council of Australia also views Palestinian statehood as a necessity but goes further to state that Israel should be sanctioned for its actions.
“Palestinians, like all people, have the right to live in safety and dignity—free from occupation, siege and fear. These rights have been systematically denied by the state of Israel,” executive officer Sarah Schwartz said.
“Self-determination must mean more than words. It must mean freedom of movement, control over land and resources, the right to return, and full equality.”
Mr Goodman said, “I don’t claim to know the best way forward, but accepting Israel’s right to exist is a fundamental part of it, and I don’t think that’s there yet”.
Conversations, debates and viewpoints will continue to be shared, Mr Goodman just hopes it can be done with respect, understanding and acceptance of differences.
