In another significant show of solidarity by the Australian legal profession, more than 700 Australian lawyers (including practising barristers and solicitors, legal academics and law students) have signed a further letter to the Australian Government calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.
This follows a similar initiative six months ago. Link to the further letter here:
This further letter reflects urgent concerns about the failure by Israel to respect international humanitarian law in its actions since the attacks committed by Hamas on October 7, especially in light of the rulings of the International Court of Justice. The letter reiterates that international law must be consistently applied and Australia, as a nation committed to the rule of law, has a responsibility to ensure that all nations, without exception, abide by it.
In order to immediately fulfil its international legal obligations, the further letter calls on the AustralianGovernment to:
• promote a ceasefire and ensure safe access of humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza
• Impose sanctions against those inciting genocide (just as Australia has imposed sanctions on Russian citizens that are aiding and abetting that nation’s invasion of Ukraine)
• ban the funding by Australians of illegal settlements
• suspend military exports to Israel
• investigate Australian citizens who are, or have served, in the IDF since 7 October 2023 for possible war crimes.
(The full list of ten actions is set out below.)
This further letter comes in wake........