Former Labor MP accuses Josh Burns of acting as ‘human shield for Penny Wong’
Former Labor MP Michael Danby has publicly criticized Josh Burns for his support of a revised Labor policy platform regarding Israel and Palestine. The dispute centers on the removal of language calling for Hamas to disarm, which Jewish advocacy groups argue lacks balance.
Why it matters
This internal conflict highlights growing tensions within the Australian Labor Party regarding its foreign policy stance on the Middle East ahead of its national conference.
— 8:02pm , first published 3:59pm
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Share A A A The head of the nation’s peak Jewish body has condemned Labor for removing a call for listed terror group Hamas to disarm from its draft policy platform as tensions erupted between former close allies over the issue ahead of the party’s national conference.
Labor planned to present a unified front on the contentious issue by having two MPs from Melbourne – Josh Burns, who is Jewish, and Basem Abdo, the son of Palestinian refugees – jointly present the section of the platform on Israel/Palestine in Adelaide on Saturday, the last day of the gathering.
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