Drama as Senators stage Gaza walkout over refusal to call for Israel-Hamas ceasefire

Draped in a keffiyeh, Mehreen Faruqi, was flanked by her Greens colleagues as they staged the question time walkout on Monday afternoon.

The Greens deputy leader had used her question to lash Labor for not listening to the thousands who marched on the weekend across Australia in support of a ceasefire.

Acting leader of the government in the Senate, Don Farrell, said Labor stood by Israel’s right to defend itself but reiterated the way it responds “matters”.

“This means that Israel must observe international law and the rules of law,” he said.

“Nobody wants to see innocent lives lost in this terrible set of circumstances. And it matters that innocent civilians should not pay for the horrors perpetrated by Hamas.”

But his answer didn’t cut it for the Greens senator, who used her supplementary question (senators get three bites of the question time cherry) to hit back.

“The Coalition is morally bankrupt when it comes to Palestine and Labor has shown itself to be heartless, gutless, powerless. You are watching the massacre of thousands of Palestinians by Israel and you are not condemning Israel,” the Greens deputy leader yelled.

“You are not condemning Israel. You refuse to call for an immediate ceasefire. We are not going to sit here and watch you pat yourselves on the back for doing nothing.

“Weasel words are not going to stop war crimes. Today, we bring the people’s protest into parliament.”

The senator raised her left fist and shouted: “Free, free Palestine!”

Victorian senator Janet Rice lifted a printed A4 page with the Palestinian flag above her head as she, and the other Greens, silently exited the chamber.

Senator Farrell said he “completely rejected” the implications put by the Greens and accused them of trying to “make hay” out of the situation.

“I don’t think any particular political party seeking to make hay out of this terrible situation is going to advance the position in Australia,” he responded.

“And whether it‘s the Coalition trying to take political advantage of it, or the Greens.”

Speaking afterwards, Senator Faruqi called suggestion she was trying to take political advantage of the conflict was “disgraceful and pretty much despicable”.

“If the government can’t hear the halls of millions of people in Australia and around the world … then we will make sure that this week our focus is going to be to pressure the government … to call apart an immediate ceasefire,” she said.

Hamas’s cross-border assault on Israel October 7 killed at least 1400 people and 240 people were taken hostage. Four hostages have since been released.

Israel has since closed the borders to Gaza, launched a ground assault and the continued bombardment has killed at least 9700 people.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday rejected the growing call for a ceasefire in Gaza without the return of the hostages.

The Albanese government has repeatedly said it supports Israel’s right to defend itself but has called for a humanitarian pause in Gaza to allow for aid to reach Palestinian civilians.