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The Canberra Times
The Canberra Times
Jasper Lindell

Greens must explain support for protest 'celebrating atrocities': Libs

ACT Greens leader Shane Rattenbury must explain why his party is promoting an event that "seeks to celebrate atrocities in the Middle East", Opposition Leader Elizabeth Lee has said.

But Mr Rattenbury said the Greens' sharing of the event on social media did not amount to an endorsement of the views of people who might attend.

Chief Minister Andrew Barr did not condemn the Greens for promoting a planned pro-Palestine rally for Friday night in Canberra in a radio interview on Wednesday morning.

"Well that's a matter for the Greens political party. I don't think this is an issue in which people should be taking sides. No one should be bombing anyone. Simple as that," Mr Barr told the ABC.

The Greens on Tuesday shared a link to a Facebook event for a rally in Garema Place, organised by Palestine Action Group Canberra.

Mr Rattenbury said the ACT Greens condemned the actions of Hamas in its recent attacks on Israel and sharing an event was not an endorsement of the range of views of those who may attend.

"We support peoples' democratic right to peaceful protest. We often share events and activities which may be of interest to our members," Mr Rattenbury said.

"As we all seek peace and end to the war crimes and fighting, there is no place for anti-Semitism or racism."

The event description calls on people to protest in solidarity with Palestine on Friday night.

"Israel has declared war on Gaza. Israel is launching a full scale war on Palestine for the humiliation it suffered today when Palestinians tore down apartheid walls at a Gaza border, and began to enter '48 land that is rightfully theirs," the event description said.

Ms Lee said similar events around Australia had celebrated Hamas, the Palestinian political and militant organisation that launched an attack on Israel this month, and the deaths of innocent people, while also promoting abhorrent anti-Semitic views.

"For the ACT Greens to promote and support a similar rally in Canberra is a disgrace," Ms Lee said.

"There is no room in the ACT for this type of behaviour. Shane Rattenbury must front up and explain why the ACT Greens are promoting any event that seeks to celebrate the atrocities we are currently witnessing in the Middle East."

Opposition Leader Elizabeth Lee, left, who has called on Greens leader Shane Rattenbury, right, to explain his party's promotion of a pro-Palestine protest rally. Picture by Sitthixay Ditthavong

Mr Rattenbury has been contacted for comment.

The federal Greens' foreign affairs spokesman, Jordon Steele-John, on Sunday said the Greens rejected and condemned all forms of violence, especially against civilians.

"There must be an immediate ceasefire between the State of Israel and Hamas," Senator Steele-John said in a statement.

"The right to resist occupation must be in accordance with international law. The premeditated targeting of civilians by Hamas violates these laws. The bombing of Palestinian civilians in response by the State of Israel violates these laws.

"The context of this escalating conflict cannot be ignored. For there to be peace there must be an end to the State of Israel's illegal occupation of the Palestinian territories."

However, the Greens have come under significant pressure as its politicians have supported pro-Palestine protests in recent days.

A police task force has been set up to co-ordinate responses to protest activity in NSW after a widely condemned pro-Palestine rally on the steps of the Sydney Opera House.

The Monday night rally was held as the NSW government lit the iconic venue in the blue and white of the Israeli flag in solidarity with victims of terrorist attacks by Islamist group Hamas.

The Palestine Action Group defended their right to protest in Australia, saying media coverage had focused on a tiny fringe of "vile anti-Semitic attendees".

But NSW Police have said further requests to support further protests by the group would be rejected because of what happened on Monday.

"We can no longer say that that group is responsible for conducting peaceful protests," acting NSW police commissioner David Hudson said.

NSW Premier Chris Minns said the Monday protest was not consistent with Australia's multi-faith, multicultural community values.

"I thought it was abhorrent [for protesters] to occupy the Opera House and scream racial epithets at Jewish community members simply because they're Jewish," he said.

Israel has vowed to escalate its response to an attack by the Palestinian militant group Hamas with a ground offensive, while US President Joe Biden pledged support for Israel and issued a warning to anyone who might seek to take advantage of the situation.

Israeli air strikes razed entire districts and filled morgues with dead Palestinians on Tuesday, while across the barrier wall enclosing the coastal enclave, Israeli soldiers collected the last of Israel's dead.

On Saturday, Hamas gunmen from the Gaza Strip rampaged through parts of southern Israel, killing hundreds of people in the deadliest Palestinian militant attack in Israel's history.

Israel's embassy in Washington said the death toll from the weekend Hamas attacks had surpassed 1000. The victims were overwhelmingly civilians.

Gaza's health ministry said Israel's retaliatory air strikes had killed at least 900 people and wounded 4600 up to Tuesday.

Hamas militants holding Israeli soldiers and civilians hostage on Monday threatened to execute a captive for each home in Gaza hit without warning, but as night fell on Tuesday there was no indication they had done so.

Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant, speaking to soldiers near the Gaza fence, said: "Hamas wanted a change and it will get one. What was in Gaza will no longer be."

Israel withdrew troops from Gaza in 2005 after 38 years of occupation, and has kept it under blockade since Hamas seized power there in 2007. The siege it announced on Monday would keep out food and fuel.

with AAP

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