Shadow treasurer Angus Taylor says there is “no evidence” of Israel collectively punishing Palestinians in Gaza in retaliation to Hamas after two Albanese government ministers spoke out on Thursday.
Industry and Science Minister Ed Husic and Early Childhood Education Minister Anne Aly, both Muslim, said Palestinians were being collectively punished by Israeli forces, who have laid siege to Gaza by cutting off food, water, and energy supplies.
In a fiery exchange with Government Services Minister Bill Shorten on 2GB radio station earlier today, Taylor said the ministers had no basis for their claims.
“The point is, you’ve had two ministers in the government talk about Israel handing out collective punishment to the Palestinian people. There is no evidence that they’ve done that,” Taylor said. “If the government has evidence of that, they should bring it forward.”
Members of the opposition are claiming the government is divided over the conflict, however Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has said all caucus members voted in parliamentary motions to stand with Israel and its right to defend itself.
Shorten said the Coalition was letting the country down by stoking division.
“The opposition and the government need to just stop trying to pin each other down on who said what, when and condemn this and condemn that,” he said.