None of our foreign aid should back terrorism
I firmly believe that right around the world, we should take a much tougher approach to the misuse and abuse of our foreign aid budget.
FOR decades, many in the Western World have been anxious to see a resolution in the Middle East dispute between the nation state of Israel and those who claim rights within it.
Despite the conventional wisdom of this approach, it is now clear that the Palestinian side of this dispute has not only continued its acts of aggression against Israel and treated its own citizens poorly, it has also utilised the good will from the global community for nefarious purposes.
This year alone, more than $43 million will be provided in Australian foreign aid to the Palestinian territories – Australia is both a wealthy and generous nation so it is unsurprising that Australia would seek to support disadvantaged people in genuine need right around the world, including in the Palestinian Territories.
Regrettably though, it now seems that Australian foreign aid may have been used to free up money in the Palestinian Authority’s budget to fund the so-called Martyr’s Fund that actively promotes and financially rewards terrorists and their families based on the number of people they harm or kill.
Worse still, last week, we learned by way of The Daily Telegraph that taxpayers’ money is being funnelled to an group in the Gaza Strip, via the Australian trade union movement, that employed a known terrorist.
More than $21 million of taxpayers’ money has been given to Union Aid Abroad, some of which has then flowed to MA’AN Development Centre – a centre that employed Ahmed Abdullah Al Adine, a leader within the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine Union Aid Abroad issued media releases calling Mr Al Adine, a globally recognised terrorist, a “colleague” within a “partner organisation” on his death last month.
Union Aid Abroad must provide a full and comprehensive statement detailing how they have spent taxpayers’ money and what, if any, due diligence they did before handing over money to fuel foreign terrorism against a nation state that Australia considers an ally.
Further, the Department must give an account of its oversight of the moneys especially given the very public warnings they received.
After me regularly pursuing this matter at Senate Estimates in recent years, I am very pleased that the Foreign Minister investigated these issues further with the Palestinian Authority and has now decided to redirect Australian aid away from the Palestinian Authority and instead to channel our funds through the United Nations which will provide greater assurance that the Palestinian Authority’s clever accounting cannot occur.
Further, the Minister has also announced a full audit of the funds provided to Union Aid Abroad.
These steps to apply a deal of scrutiny on Australian aid provided to the Palestinian Territories are welcome but it highlights a broader problem – that our aid funds can be funnelled overseas without careful and meticulous oversight.
I firmly believe that right around the world, we should take a much tougher approach to the misuse and abuse of our foreign aid budget and suspend or terminate our aid packages to countries where they have directed our aid or used our aid to substitute their funds to support acts of terror.
These recent events when viewed in the context of the last decade show that there is only one side in the dispute that genuinely values peace, especially in the face of constant acts of terrorism and provocation.
That’s why the Australian government has taken the bold stance in recent months in being one of the lone voices in support of Israel at the United Nations against the barrage of attacks and inquiries directed against it.
And just last month the Federal Council of the Liberal Party voted to support moving the Australian embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to West Jerusalem and to end all aid until the Martyr’s Fund is ended.
While the motion is not binding on the government, it is a strong show of support from the Liberal Party membership which helps inform the Parliamentary Party.
Importantly, this motion was moved by the Young Liberals which shows the very strong support on this issue from the next generation of Liberal Parliamentarians.
These are all positive steps in the right direction that demonstrates that on my side of politics there is a clear recognition that the status quo has not worked and that we need to be more bold in supporting the only free and democratic nation in the Middle East – the only nation that shares our Australian values based on the Judeo Christian ethic – such as democracy, the rule of law and individual freedoms.
While there is much more that can and should be done by Australia to back Israel, I am pleased that we have started on the path to a more whole hearted backing our friend.
ERIC ABETZ is a Liberal Senator for Tasmania and a member of the Senate Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Committee.
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