Victorian Labor motion supporting terrorist Marwan Barghouti is disgraceful.
The Zionist Federation of Australia has condemned reports of a motion within the Victorian Labor Party calling for support for the release of convicted terrorist Marwan Barghouti.
ZFA President Jeremy Leibler said the motion represented a shocking moral collapse from elements of the Victorian Labor movement.
“Marwan Barghouti is not a political prisoner. He is a convicted terrorist responsible for the murder of innocent civilians,” Mr Leibler said.
“Barghouti was convicted over attacks that murdered civilians during the Second Intifada and is serving five life sentences plus an additional 40 years for murder, attempted murder and terrorism offences.”
“Among the attacks linked to Barghouti was the murder of Greek Orthodox monk Father Germanos Tsibouktzakis, who was shot dead while driving near Jerusalem. He was also convicted over the Seafood Market attack in Tel Aviv, where Israeli civilians were gunned down while dining.”
“Families were torn apart. Innocent people were murdered in cold blood in restaurants and roadside shootings. Attempting to sanitise or romanticise that violence is grotesque.” Mr Leibler said Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan should immediately distance herself and her Government from any motion supporting Barghouti’s release.
“There must be no ambiguity here. A mainstream Australian government should not be associated in any way with advocacy for the release of a convicted terrorist responsible for murdering civilians.”
“At a time of rising antisemitism and growing social division, Premier Allan should make clear that she rejects the glorification of terrorism and political violence by the radicalised factions within her Party.”