Senator Fatima Payman Accuses Israel of Genocide

Anniversary of the Nakba Marks Mass Expulsion

Senator Payman Proudly Backs Government's Resolution to Expand ICJ Jurisdiction

The Labor senator Fatima Payman has accused Israel of committing genocide against the Palestinian people. Her comments come on the anniversary of the Nakba, which marks the mass expulsion of Palestinians from their homes in 1948.

"The Nakba was a crime against humanity," Payman said. "It was an act of ethnic cleansing that saw hundreds of thousands of Palestinians forced from their homes and dispossessed of their land."

Payman also accused Israel of continuing to commit crimes against the Palestinian people, including the occupation of the West Bank and Gaza Strip, the blockade of Gaza, and the discrimination against Palestinians in Israel.

"Israel's actions are a violation of international law and must be condemned," Payman said. "The Australian government must do more to support the Palestinian people and hold Israel accountable for its crimes."

Payman's comments come as the Australian government is considering a resolution to expand the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court (ICC) to cover crimes committed against Palestinians. Payman has said that she will support the resolution, which has been backed by the Labor Party.

"The ICC is the only international court that can prosecute individuals for crimes against humanity, war crimes, and genocide," Payman said. "Expanding the ICC's jurisdiction to cover crimes committed against Palestinians would be a significant step towards holding Israel accountable for its crimes."