A Palestinian girl climbs over debris a day after an operation by the Israeli Special Forces in the Nuseirat camp, in the central Gaza Strip on June 9, 2024, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian Hamas militant group.
A Palestinian girl climbs over debris a day after an operation by the Israeli Special Forces in the Nuseirat camp, in the central Gaza Strip on June 9, 2024, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian Hamas militant group. AFP

Labor Senator Fatima Payman has once again called on the Australian government to formally recognize a state for Palestinians, pointing out that powerful countries must take action against "genocidal acts" by the Israeli government.

The lawmaker from Western Australia, whose comments were published in an opinion piece in Al Jazeera, quoted U.N. Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese as saying, "Israel's genocide of Palestinians in Gaza is an escalatory stage of a long-standing settler colonial process of erasure."

"This is why a recognition of a Palestinian state within the 1967 borders is imperative," Payman wrote. "Australia's recognition would be a symbolic and audacious rejection of Israel's current bid to erase the Palestinian people. Recognition of a Palestinian state would not frustrate a peace process; rather, it would rescue that very peace process and keep it alive."

She wrote that in recent weeks nations, including Norway, Spain, and Ireland, had officially recognized Palestine as an independent state. "It was not to reject or antagonize Israel. It was to rescue the process Israel is frantically trying to destroy," she added.

"In opposition, our prime minister and the Labor Party were fierce champions of Palestine and passionate voices for justice. I ask that we summon that spirit of old and do the same in power."

Payman's position has caused a great deal of fissure within the Labor Party, WA Today reported.

While detractors worry about diplomatic repercussions with Israel, supporters saw Payman's remarks as a moral stand on human rights, leaving the Labor Party to deal with internal conflicts and the ramifications for foreign policy.

Payman defied her Labor colleagues last month by calling Israel's conduct in Gaza "genocide." She has now quit several party and parliamentary committees that were in charge of examining government foreign and defense policies.