Julie Bishop’s department has closely monitored the deaths of Palestinians at the hands of Israeli forces during protests in Gaza in the last month, even predicting causalities before they occurred, while the government has, until today, maintained a public silence on the escalating violence.
Diplomatic cables, obtained by Crikey under freedom of information laws, reveal that the Tel Aviv embassy briefed Canberra last month about the killing of dozens of Palestinian protesters at the Israel-Gaza border while anticipating further causalities.
The correspondence released by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade shows that diplomats warned that more deaths were likely during upcoming demonstrations on April 6 after “Israeli countermeasures” had previously killed 20 Palestinian protesters on March 30.
Since March 30, some 100 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli Defence Force personnel who’ve used live ammunition against the “March of Return” demonstrations, which have demanded the right of return for refugees displaced during the establishment of Israel.
During the bloodiest round of protests yet on Monday, 58 Palestinian were killed and another 770 were injured, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.
It prompted a press release from Julie Bishop’s office describing deep regret and sadness over the “loss of life” and called on Israel to be proportionate in its response.
But the statement comes six weeks into the border conflict, and is weak in contrast with Israeli allies such as Egypt who have condemned Israel for deadly use of force.
“Protests will be concentrated in several locations along the Gaza-Israel border with smaller and sporadic demonstrations also expected to take place in Jerusalem and the West Bank,” said the diplomatic briefing, which was sent hours before Israeli Defence Force personnel shot dead 10 Palestinians and injured at least 1000 others during demonstrations on April 6. “With large numbers expected along the Gaza-Israel border tomorrow, further escalation and casualties can be expected.”
The briefing also noted that various Israeli allies other than Australia had publicly voiced their concern about the violence. UK, France and Germany had expressed “serious concern and called for the proportionate use of force and respect for the right to protest,” the correspondence said, while the US and Canada had “expressed sadness at the violence and urged parties to lower tension and show restraint.”
Greens Leader Dr Richard Di Natale last month called on the government to “break its silence” on the issue, blasting Israel’s actions as “clearly disproportionate and very likely illegal”.
Other sections of the briefing titled “The first casualty — the battle for the narrative” and “Comment” were redacted before the document’s release to Crikey on the grounds their release would harm agency operations or divulge personal information.
When asked by Crikey why it had not issued any public statements on the situation in Gaza in April, DFAT indicated that it had privately raised the issue with the main parities involved.
“Australian officials have raised concerns about the situation on the Gaza perimeter directly with representatives of both Israel and the Palestinian Authority,” a DFAT spokesperson said.
Rights groups including Human Rights Watch have condemned Israel’s actions, while the UN Secretary General and the European Union have called for an independent investigation into the deaths.
Tel Aviv says it has only fired on protesters who’ve attempted to damage or breach the border fence dividing the territories and those killed include known Hamas operatives. Israeli Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman, responding to the controversy last month, dismissed calls for an inquiry into the killings, insisting the soldiers involved “did what had to be done” and “deserve a commendation”.
Join us today for just $1 a week.
Get your first 12 weeks for $12. Cancel any time.
Our journalism is funded directly by our members — that’s how we maintain our fierce independence. We don’t rely on advertisers, clickbait or culture war obsessed columnists.
If you like what we do, join us today.
Peter Fray
Editor-In-Chief of Crikey
39 thoughts on “Secret cables reveal Bishop likely knew Gaza conflict would escalate”
old greybearded one
May 15, 2018 at 1:34 pmIt is not illegal for Israeli defence forces to kill Palestinians, it is the Israeli Defence Force, it is what they do. Seriously though, the insult delivered by Trump opening the embassy process on the day of the Naqba and sending Kushner, whose father specialises in West Bank colony building!
Marcus Hicks
May 15, 2018 at 4:36 pmIt ought to be illegal, given that they’re killing unarmed civilians exercising what should be a democratic right.
Dianne Longson
May 15, 2018 at 11:20 pmIt’s not illegal? Are you seriously suggesting the Israelis are defending themselves? There are some comments here from people whose only knowledge about the Palestinian/Israeli conflict comes from the bites they hear or read in the very pro-Israeli Australian news media. They seriously need to do some personal research.
DF
May 15, 2018 at 1:38 pmColin Rubenstein was a regular visitor to Downer’s office when he was FM and I have no doubt the relationship has continued with Bishop. How much do the Palestinians contribute to the Liberal Party’s coffers do you suppose?
Dion Giles
May 15, 2018 at 2:01 pmAfter the demise of the Boer Republic of South Africa, Israel is the last ultra-racist blot remaining on the face of the earth.
AR
May 15, 2018 at 6:31 pm… Saudi Arabia? Racism plus, for extra points, religious bigotry.
Unfortunately, its tentacles are everywhere.
Surabaya, anyone?
gjb
May 15, 2018 at 6:58 pmAlso Saudi’s reliance on foreign slaves, they just don’t call it that.
Robin
May 15, 2018 at 8:22 pmSo Israel is a racist blot, but Hamas calling for death to all Jews is okay?
Zeke
May 16, 2018 at 10:31 amDeath to all Jews? Do you have an actual quote for that or did you just make it up?
They will call for the death of those who illegally stole their land and slaughtered their brethren… I’d say that was fair, wouldn’t you?
Do you support Israel bombing hospitals and ambulances? Is that OK in your eyes?
Marcus Hicks
May 17, 2018 at 10:21 amIt never happened, Zeke. It’s just another myth created by Zionist propagandists.
AR
May 16, 2018 at 12:37 pmIsrael, Jew & zionist are not synonyms, no matter how hard Bibi & the hasbara wish it.
Rais
May 16, 2018 at 2:27 pmMore and more, younger idealistic American Jews are being driven away from support of Israel by the ever increasing cruelties imposed on the captive Palestinians. That will affect US support for Israel eventually although there will still be support from the more extreme Christian groups.
Terry of Tuggeranong
May 15, 2018 at 2:10 pmI see Rubenstein was ‘given’ column inches in Fairfax yesterday in order to attempt to defend the indefensible
Marilyn
May 15, 2018 at 4:26 pmIndeed, but all our media in Australia are Zionist, it’s a fucking disgrace.
Terry of Tuggeranong
May 15, 2018 at 2:09 pmBishop and her government are even more gutless on this issue than they are on Cambodia. The fear of offending the Israeli-lobby here in Australia and upsetting Trump are the over-riding factors in the formulation of their policy on situations which, at the very least, demand some sort of public condemnation – but it will not be gotten out of this excuse for a government that claims doe regard for human rights
Arky
May 15, 2018 at 2:21 pm“Secret cables reveal Bishop likely knew Gaza conflict would escalate”
Please. Blind Freddie knew the Gaza conflict would escalate around the time of the opening of the new US embassy. It wasn’t a secret.
Bobby
May 15, 2018 at 6:49 pmThe Palestinians and their leadership have never wanted peace.
Israel is just giving them what they want in spades.
Marcus Hicks
May 15, 2018 at 8:28 pmWhat a load of complete & utter garbage, Bobby. Insert Israel or Zionist & you’d be on to something. Even before the Brits left, the Jewish Extremists were conducting random acts of violence against the Palestinian people. Then, in spite of being given the lions’ share of Palestine, the Zionists launched massive surprise attacks on villages within both the Jewish & Arab mandate. They murdered thousands of people, & drove hundreds of thousands into exile. Israel used the Six Day War (which they helped to provoke) as a pretext to invade & occupy Gaza & West Bank. They invaded Southern Lebanon & helped the Phalange to massacre thousands of Palestinian refugees in the Sabra & Shatila camps. In spite of Palestinians working increasingly hard to meet their obligations under the former Oslo Accords, Israel has violated every one of their agreements, by expanding the number & size of Jewish settlements on the West Bank, in violation of international law. They have routinely restricted access to water by the Palestinians & Palestinians are treated like prisoners within their own land, & as 3rd class citizens within Israel proper. Tell me how much you’d want peace after that kind of treatment?
Either way, Bobby, your comment just exposes your utter ignorance & your blind acceptance of Zionist propaganda.
Rais
May 15, 2018 at 9:26 pmYes, the Palestinians always yearned to be expelled from their towns and villages and farms and cooped up in refugee camps while foreigners mostly from Europe and America expunged all traces of their millennia-long presence there. And you can see how they don’t want peace by the way their tanks and troops are everywhere throughout Israel preventing innocent Israelis from moving about freely. And if they wanted peace they wouldn’t be seizing Israeli land and putting illegal settlements on it would they? And their planes wouldn’t be bombing so-called Stern Gang and Irgun terrorist bases in the middle of tightly crammed Israeli cities if they wanted peace. No way.
Bobby
May 15, 2018 at 11:19 pmAny day now the US is going to give Texas and New Mexico back to Mexico. Lol. Delusion runs strong in the far left.
Losers don’t get to dictate the terms of peace.
Zeke
May 16, 2018 at 10:35 am“Might is right”, eh? I suppose you accept being robbed in the street as being fair, eh?
The bombing of hospitals and ambulances in Gaza? ppppft… they deserve it, do they?
Marcus Hicks
May 17, 2018 at 10:28 amLast I checked, Bobby, America never offered to give back Texas or New Mexico to Mexico as part of a Peace Deal, so how is your comment remotely relevant? Oh, that’s right, irrelevant non-sequitors run strong in the Far Right, as does hatred, ignorance & bigotry. The fact is that Israel agreed not to expand settlements within The West Bank, under the terms of the Oslo Accords, yet has actually expanded them at a faster rate during that time period, proving that the Israeli government have been dishonest, violent, backstabbing thieves for close to 25 years now. Also, your reference to losers does confirm that Israel are the clear aggressors in this scenario, thus neatly undermining your initial comment.
Dianne Longson
May 15, 2018 at 11:29 pmThank you Rais for your response to Bobby. You left out the fact that the Palestinian Council publicly acknowledged the state of Israel as a fact of life in 1988 and have since reiterated that position in 1993, agreeing to form a State in Gaza and the West Bank. Israel has made it very clear they want all the land between the River Jordan and the Mediterranean Sea, in other words all of Palestine. Bobby you need to listen to some real Jews speaking out against what is happening in Palestine instead of just accepting everything out media and the Zionists say. Do some research for heaven’s sake.
Marcus Hicks
May 16, 2018 at 1:03 pmThe Far Right don’t do research, that requires critical thinking & reading skills.
Rais
May 15, 2018 at 3:26 pmThere is no Gaza “clash.” There are unarmed human beings demonstrating and there are cowards shooting them dead. What is terrorism if this isn’t?
AR
May 15, 2018 at 6:35 pmOn RN Drive, IDF spokesflak told PK that there had been live fire from Gaza and fiery speeches about “tearing out their hearts… or something similar“.
So withering sniper fire is entirely justified.
James O'Neill
May 15, 2018 at 3:36 pmBishop’s lack of a substantive response is entirely in accord with Australia’s foreign policy toward Israel over many decades aided and abetted by a compliant media. Fairfax printing Rubenstein’s justifications is merely another example. How much space has been given to the Palestinian arguments over the decades? Precious little.
Neither is the Murdoch media any better. Despite repeated UN Security Council and General Assembly resolutions, Israel continues to illegally occupy the Golan Heights captured during the 1967 6 day war. An American company, Genie Energy, has been exploring for oil in the Golan, which The Economist (November 2015) says runs to billions of barrels. Who is on the board of Genie Energy? None other than Rupert Murdoch along with other infamous characters like Dick Cheney and James Wolsey.
Australia’s support for the violent racist regime in Israel in the UN and elsewhere is a disgrace.
Bill Hilliger
May 15, 2018 at 4:09 pmJames, many are saying may Israel and its citizens never know what it is like to live in peace.
James O'Neill
May 15, 2018 at 4:16 pmBill, the problem with that is that it is the Palestinians who continue to be slaughtered and their land stolen.
Bill Hilliger
May 15, 2018 at 5:44 pmSadly that’s true.
Rais
May 15, 2018 at 5:17 pmMost Israelis know what it’s like to live in peace. Their armed forces and those of their allies make sure of that and many of them never have to interact with a Palestinian; not even with the minority of Palestinians who are Israeli citizens. Israeli Arabs are generally not allowed to live in mixed neighbourhoods.
Juan
May 15, 2018 at 3:40 pmTrump and Israel are fascist bastards. The current Australian government is complicit by their silence. Julie Bishop and Malcolm Turnbull should hang their heads in shame. Free Palestine from Israeli apartheid!
Colin Mathers
May 15, 2018 at 4:04 pmThe Department ” even predicting causalities before they occurred”. Not once, but twice, as in the following paragraph they “anticipated further causalities”. Unhinged spellchecker or truth-telling reporter? There is no doubt that the massive imbalance in Israeli and Palestinian deaths is driven by causalities.
Limited Through Mixed
May 15, 2018 at 5:29 pmI like many others are increasingly weary of the Israeli nonsense going on. I remember in the 1980s as a teen having to listen to the Sunday morning ABC radio news about ME attacks caused by Israeli forces. It seemed to happen every Sunday every week. Tiresome and weary.
JimmyNecktie
May 15, 2018 at 6:40 pmHell, Blind Freddie and his dog could see that was going to escalate!