Palestine action groups claim positive results in Australia
Say candidates they supported got significant number of votes in federal election at weekend
MNTV News Desk
Despite not flipping any seats in parliament, Palestine action groups have claimed positive results in the Australian election, SBS News reports.
The groups had mobilized in traditional Labor heartland seats to support candidates who aligned with their values, including Greens and independent candidates.
The election saw a significant swing against Labor in some western Sydney seats, with Muslim voters frustrated by the party’s stance on Israel’s genocide in Gaza.
In Blaxland, Labor minister Jason Clare held off a challenge from independent candidate Ahmed Ouf, who drew 20% of the primary vote.
In Watson, Labor’s Tony Burke was re-elected, despite a strong challenge from independent candidate Dr. Ziad Basyouny, who won 15% of the vote.
Ghaith Krayem, spokesperson for Muslim Votes Matter, said the group was happy with the outcome, citing an 8% swing against Labor in the north Melbourne seat of Wills.
Krayem attributed the swing to mobilization by the Muslim community, and said the group’s backed independents had set a “fantastic foundation” for future challenges.
Muslim Votes Matter considers the federal election a “stepping stone” and will continue its advocacy and lobbying work into the next term of government, he said.
Krayem believes the group’s efforts will cause the Albanese government to pay attention to calls from the Muslim community.
The Greens, who took a firm stance on Gaza, lost two seats in Brisbane but may have benefited from their position in other areas.
Redbridge Group director Simon Welsh said the Greens’ stance on Gaza may have been seen as “politicizing” the issue, and contributed to a swing against the party in some inner-city Melbourne seats.
The election result has also sparked debate within the Muslim community, with some arguing that the Labor Party’s stance on Gaza was not the only issue at play.
Western Sydney GP Jamal Rifi, a prominent figure in the Lebanese community, said the re-election of Labor MPs Tony Burke and Jason Clare reflected the “political intelligence” of the Muslim community.
Rifi, who started the ‘Friends of Tony Burke’ campaign, said the community recognized that Burke and Clare would provide more effective representation in the decision-making corridors of parliament.
He also praised the Albanese government’s actions on Gaza, including providing humanitarian aid and voting at the United Nations demanding an end to Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territories.
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