On October 30, six former prime ministers of Australia, John Howard, Kevin Rudd, Julia Gillard, Tony Abbott, Malcolm Turnbull, and Scott Morrison, issued a rare joint statement regarding the Israel-Hamas war. The statement condemned Hamas’ attack on Israeli families on October 7 and called for the unconditional release of hostages and sustained humanitarian access to Palestinians. The former prime ministers endorsed a two-state solution as the basis for long-term peace and compared Hamas’ attack to ISIS. They emphasized the importance of supporting and protecting the civilian population in Gaza while acknowledging Israel’s objective of defeating Hamas. They also condemned any form of racial or religious hatred and called for respect and peace among the diverse Australian population.
The statement faced mixed reactions, with the Zionist Federation of Australia (ZFA) welcoming it as a sign of respect and a demonstration of basic morality and values. However, the Australia Palestine Advocacy Network (APAN) criticized it for exacerbating community division and disregarding Israel’s historical violations of international law. Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong called for a bipartisan approach and emphasized the international community’s unwillingness to accept continued civilian deaths. She urged Israel to defend itself while ensuring the protection of civilian lives and respect for International Humanitarian Law.