MEDIA RELEASE – GOVERNMENT HAS QUESTIONS TO ANSWER ON ISRAEL SANCTIONS

Senator the Hon Michaelia Cash
Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs
Leader of the Opposition in the Senate
Senator for Western Australia

11 JUNE 2025

GOVERNMENT HAS QUESTIONS TO ANSWER ON ISRAEL SANCTIONS

The sanctioning of democratically elected officials of a key ally, Israel, is a very serious development. We have not received a briefing about this matter but would expect there to be a very high threshold for this decision. Labor should be clear who initiated this process, on what basis they have done so and who made the decision.

I note the United States, who is leading the ceasefire process, has said this will not help to achieve a ceasefire. It is for the government to explain how this action contributes to the safe return of all remaining hostages held by Hamas, and a lasting peace in the Middle East. Foreign Minister Penny Wong should also be clear about what engagement Australia has had with the United States – if any – on this matter.

Labor must also address questions about its use of Magnitsky-style sanctions. The Magnitsky sanctions regime was designed to respond to serious matters of international concern, such as human rights abuses and terrorist acts. The Government must explain, in full, why it is being applied in these circumstances.

The Albanese Government needs to explain why they have seemingly lowered the threshold for imposing Magnitsky-style sanctions, and whether this new approach will be applied to comments made by officials from other countries. This may have serious implications for our international relationships.

The Government’s explanatory materials make clear that Minister Wong exercised a discretionary power to impose the sanctions because of public comments made by the two Israeli Ministers. This appears to be a new development in our foreign policy.

We are concerned that there is a pattern of decisions by the Albanese Government targeting the Israeli Government, rather than Hamas, including the decision to block a former Israeli Minister for Justice from travelling to Australia and the refusal to rule out arresting the Prime Minister of Israel.

ENDS