Australia’s Debate on Accepting Gaza Refugees Escalates Amid National Security Concerns

[Social Media]

 

Australia's political discourse has intensified over whether to accept Palestinians fleeing the Gaza conflict, with Coalition leader Peter Dutton taking a hardline stance against the idea. Dutton, citing an unspecified "national security risk," asserted that no Palestinians should be allowed into Australia "at the moment." His comments have sparked immediate backlash from senior figures in the Albanese government, who argue that Australia's security processes remain rigorous and unchanged from when Dutton's own party was in power.

 

Dutton's remarks came despite a contrasting assessment by the head of Australia's intelligence agency, Asio, Mike Burgess. Burgess had previously indicated that rhetorical support for Hamas should not automatically disqualify Palestinians from receiving visas. Dutton, however, appears unconvinced, telling Sky News that accepting refugees from the Gaza war zone would be imprudent and pose a national security threat. "I don’t think people should be coming in from that war zone at all at the moment," Dutton said. "It’s not prudent to do so, and I think it puts our national security at risk."

 

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese was quick to rebuke Dutton’s stance, accusing him of sowing division rather than basing his arguments on the advice of security experts. "We take our advice from the director general of Asio and the security agencies, not from someone always looking for a fight, always looking for division," Albanese said in an interview with ABC TV.

 

Government Services Minister Bill Shorten also criticized Dutton’s comments, suggesting they conflated the entire population of Gaza with support for Hamas. "I think if somehow he’s conflating the idea that every person [who] lives in Gaza is a member of Hamas, I don’t share that view," Shorten told Radio National. He added that the current security vetting process for refugees is the same as the one used when Dutton was in government, questioning why Dutton would now doubt the efficacy of those procedures. "Memo to Peter Dutton, we’re using the same process that he used. So if he thinks our current process is no good, then what’s he saying about all the time when he was in charge?"

 

Despite Dutton’s stance, the Albanese government is exploring ways to allow Palestinians who have fled to Australia to stay longer. New Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke has declared that no country should be sending people back to Gaza in the current circumstances. However, Dutton’s rhetoric has found some support within his own party, with Shadow Home Affairs Minister James Paterson calling on Labor to ensure that no supporters of Hamas or other terrorist organizations are allowed into the country, and to consider canceling the visas of those already present.

 

Shadow Attorney General Michaelia Cash later clarified the Coalition's position, suggesting that humanitarian visas for those fleeing Gaza should be paused until "peace is restored." Cash defended Dutton’s comments, saying, "The one thing you’ll always get with Peter [Dutton] - you don’t have to like him, but guess what? He will almost stand up for Australia, Australians and put the national interest first."

 

Not everyone in the political arena agrees with this approach. Greens Senator David Shoebridge condemned Dutton’s remarks as "despicable," accusing him of "persecuting the victims" of the Gaza conflict. Education Minister Jason Clare also criticized Dutton’s position, urging Israel to end what he described as the "occupation" and "starvation" of Gaza. Clare pointed out that there are currently no refugees coming from Gaza because the Rafah crossing is closed, making Dutton’s warnings about a potential influx of refugees from Gaza seem misplaced.

 

"Anyone that comes from Gaza, like anyone who comes from anywhere around the world, goes through security processing … [of] the same sort that existed when Peter Dutton was in power," Clare said. He invited Dutton to visit his southwest Sydney electorate of Blaxland to meet "great people" from Gaza who have experienced the devastation of having their homes, schools, and hospitals destroyed. Clare’s remarks underscored a growing frustration within the Labor Party over Israel’s conduct in the ongoing conflict, with several ministers expressing dismay over the Israeli government’s actions.

 

Industry Minister Ed Husic has even suggested that Australia should consider levelling sanctions against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, holding him accountable for the conflict’s conduct. This sentiment reflects a broader unease within Labor about Israel's military operations in Gaza following the 7 October terrorist attacks.

 

Foreign Minister Penny Wong has also weighed in on the situation, describing the region as "particularly risky" with the potential for escalation, particularly in Lebanon and with Iran. Wong reaffirmed Australia's support for the Joe Biden plan, which was recently approved by the UN Security Council, describing it as a narrow but important pathway to peace.

As Australia grapples with the question of how to respond to the Gaza crisis, the debate over whether to accept refugees from the region is likely to continue, with Dutton's comments further polarizing an already contentious issue.

 

Credit: The Guardian  2024-08-16

 

 

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[thaibeachlovers]

My opinion for what it's worth is that only orphans of a very young age should be accepted, and there are probably hundreds if not thousands of them.

While adults are also at threat of death in Gaza, allowing a large number of very angry people of a different culture in only holds problems for the future, IMO.

[Tug]

Why doesn’t Iran accept them?because they know they bring trouble 

[mfd101]

4 hours ago, Tug said:

Why doesn’t Iran accept them?because they know they bring trouble 

Same reason no ARAB country will have them!

[Trentham]

Uh Oh. Here come all the racists trying to defend Dutton who has shown himself on many occasions to be against anybody non-white. He is an aggressive hard right politician. 

[AgMech Cowboy]

Now why would any country import trouble?  It's got nothing to do with race or skin color.  Their culture is not your culture and multiculturism is just globalization as manifest by 'the elites'.

Edited August 16 by AgMech Cowboy

[Scott Tracy]

1 hour ago, mfd101 said:

Same reason no ARAB country will have them!

Hear hear. Jordan learned that lesson the hard way.

[koolkarl]

Canada wants them all.  Certainly not Japan, S. Korea or Thailand  or any muslim country.

[Pouatchee]

14 minutes ago, koolkarl said:

Canada wants them all.  Certainly not Japan, S. Korea or Thailand  or any muslim country.

 

the way things are going, thanks to trudeau, canada will be a black muslim nation

[cncltd1973]

Palestinians conspired against Kuwait and revolted against Jordan. they are Muslims and will always be Muslims first and foremost

[James105]

1 hour ago, koolkarl said:

Canada wants them all.  Certainly not Japan, S. Korea or Thailand  or any muslim country.

 

I would bet large sums of money that Starmer is practically salivating at the prospect of bringing them into the UK as well, and has already had discussions about this.    

[placnx]

3 hours ago, mfd101 said:

Same reason no ARAB country will have them!

Arab countries do not want to have any part in displacement of the Palestinian people with no right of return, which would be the case if Israel controls the border with Egypt (as Netanyahu is now insisting in "ceasefire" negotiations).

[placnx]

2 hours ago, Scott Tracy said:

Hear hear. Jordan learned that lesson the hard way.

Back in 1967 they were fleeing, along with the Jordanian Army!

[OldmanJ]

Why won't Iran or any other neighboring country take them, maybe they know something Australia doesn't or won't accept.

[EVENKEEL]

The Aussie liberals are eerily quiet. If this was about say the US they would be shouting.

[thaibeachlovers]

18 hours ago, mfd101 said:

Same reason no ARAB country will have them!

You need to prove that, according to forum rules.

[thaibeachlovers]

16 hours ago, Scott Tracy said:

Hear hear. Jordan learned that lesson the hard way.

Do tell?

 

If you are correct ( you ain't ) there would be no Palestinians in Jordan.

 

https://www.sapiens.org/culture/palestinian-refugees-exile-displacement-jordan/

Over 2 million Palestinian refugees currently live in Jordan in indefinite exile, tens of thousands without citizenship in any country.

[Scott Tracy]

Today, most Palestinians and their descendants in Jordan are naturalized, making Jordan the only Arab country to fully integrate the Palestinian refugees. So, are they refugees or Jordanian nationals?I

 

As has been said, no other Arab country will take in Palestinian refugees as they are afraid of their own Black September, so why would any other country even consider it, let alone fall out about it internally?

[simple1]

On 8/16/2024 at 10:43 AM, Tug said:

Why doesn’t Iran accept them?because they know they bring trouble 

 

Iran already hosts approx 4.5 million displaced people whilst under massive financial pressure from the West. I would doubt they have sufficient resources to accept more refugees. BTW I do not support Iran, but facts need to be understood. Same would apply to Turkey, Pakistan, Lebanon who currently host million of refugees in each country. Saudi Arabia also hosts refugees, but being conservative Sunni, wouldn't be keen to take on Shiites who they already suppress in their own country.

 

https://academic.oup.com/ijrl/article/35/3/251/7439896

 

Info on Indonesia below, would be echoed in some other Islamic countries.

 

https://www.refugeecouncil.org.au/refugees-live-in-destitution-in-indonesia/#:~:text=In 2021 the UNHCR estimated,resettlement and are awaiting departure.

Edited August 17 by simple1

[StevieAus]

On 8/16/2024 at 1:30 PM, Trentham said:

Uh Oh. Here come all the racists trying to defend Dutton who has shown himself on many occasions to be against anybody non-white. He is an aggressive hard right politician. 

It’s nothing to do with being a racist or supporting Dutton it’s a case of not wanting your country to turn into a replica of the UK.

The majority of the people support Hamass  a designated terrorist organisation they are illiterate will not be able to work and will not assimilate into Australian society and culture.

If you feel so strongly you can always sponsor and accommodate a few yourself.

[Cryingdick]

14 hours ago, StevieAus said:

It’s nothing to do with being a racist or supporting Dutton it’s a case of not wanting your country to turn into a replica of the UK.

The majority of the people support Hamass  a designated terrorist organisation they are illiterate will not be able to work and will not assimilate into Australian society and culture.

If you feel so strongly you can always sponsor and accommodate a few yourself.

 

silly me. Here i was thinking it is because if they talk to God on an angry day they might, decapitate your wife after cutting her breasts off and raping her in front of you, put your baby in an oven and kill you after that. Other than that they are fun at parties. They keep up their property and lawns.

[Stargeezr]

My question is, why is Hamas the power in Gaza City and West Bank. Hamas is a terrorist organization

and should not be in any kind of political power at all. IMO. I do not believe that it was only Hamas that built all of the tunnels

as well, i am sure that many men of Gaza and other parts of West bank were involved in these tunnel systems.

  Isreal is not innocent as well, and they should not be allowing their settlers to encroach into the West Bank area.

 

[thaibeachlovers]

15 hours ago, StevieAus said:

The majority of the people support Hamass  a designated terrorist organisation they are illiterate

Garbage. Those buildings the israelis keep blowing up with women and children in used to be schools, lots of schools.

 

https://www.undp.org/sites/g/files/zskgke326/files/migration/ps/UNDP-papp-research-PHDR2015Education.pdf

The latest statistics show that 96.3% of the population of Palestine is literate

[thaibeachlovers]

28 minutes ago, Cryingdick said:

 

silly me. Here i was thinking it is because if they talk to God on an angry day they might, decapitate your wife after cutting her breasts off and raping her in front of you, put your baby in an oven and kill you after that. Other than that they are fun at parties. They keep up their property and lawns.

Vile nonsense. The babies in ovens was debunked long ago, but keep spouting israeli propaganda by all means.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Misinformation_in_the_Israel–Hamas_war

[john donson]

should put them into muslim countries... saudi does nothing and they are getting billions a day for companies to pump oil

[StevieAus]

On 8/18/2024 at 5:01 AM, thaibeachlovers said:

Garbage. Those buildings the israelis keep blowing up with women and children in used to be schools, lots of schools.

 

https://www.undp.org/sites/g/files/zskgke326/files/migration/ps/UNDP-papp-research-PHDR2015Education.pdf

The latest statistics show that 96.3% of the population of Palestine is literate

Yes schools,  hospitals etc used by Hamas if you feel so strongly,  sponsor a family I will stick with the Buddhists thanks.

[thaibeachlovers]

On 8/19/2024 at 2:48 PM, john donson said:

should put them into muslim countries... saudi does nothing and they are getting billions a day for companies to pump oil

Why do you assume that because they are all Muslims that they are all family. You are saying nonsense.

Do you even understand the difference between Shia and Sunni Muslims?

 

Going by what you say, send the Palestinians to live in Indonesia- they are all Muslims. Actually, send them all to Michigan in the US- plenty of Muslims living there, so they'll fit right in, won't they?

[thaibeachlovers]

1 hour ago, StevieAus said:

Yes schools,  hospitals etc used by Hamas if you feel so strongly,  sponsor a family I will stick with the Buddhists thanks.

So, you are OK with israel blowing up thousands of children with American bombs then, because kids are so obviously Hamas?