We call on the Australian government to investigate any Australians involved in serving the IDF for committing war crimes in Gaza and Palestine. 

The Australian Centre for International Justice has reported estimates of up to 1,000 Australians currently serving in the IDF or being active reservists in what is clearly the brutal onslaught of the beleaguered population of Gaza.

The catastrophic situation in the OPT and in Gaza in particular, warrants investigation from the Australian government on the real risk that Australian nationals may be involved in committing international crimes against humanity. 

Human rights abuses have been clearly corroborated by respected international organizations such as Oxfam, Save the Children, and UNICEF. Given that many IDF soldiers also flaunt their abuse of human rights and genocidal acts on Tik Tok and social media sites, Australia can not watch idly as this makes it complicit in committing international acts of genocide too. 

Given the high level of risk in committing genocidal acts in Palestine due to the conduct of the IDF in Gaza, it is incumbent on the Australian government to actively and thoroughly investigate returning citizens from Israel for war crimes and apply the Commonwealth Criminal Code where relevant. 

A failure to investigate and prosecute Australian nationals for involvement in potential war crimes, crimes against humanity, genocide and torture as codified in Divisions 268 and 274 of the Commonwealth Criminal Code, would be in breach of Australia’s obligations under international law to investigate and prosecute these crimes. The Australian government must uphold its obligation as a State Party to the Genocide Convention to not only punish acts of genocide, but prevent such acts. The inadequacy of warnings issued to date by the Department of Home Affairs on joining the IDF may constitute a failure by Australia to comply with its obligations under this Convention.

By signing this petition, we urge the Australian government to take decisive action and demonstrate its commitment towards upholding human rights and not support genocidal acts inflicted on indigenous populations globally.