A Labor councillor in the City of Canterbury-Bankstown in Sydney’s southwest proposed a motion to fly the Palestinian flag at a local government administration building and park. The motion, put forward by Councillor Karl Saleh of the Australian Labor Party, aimed to show support for peace in Gaza and Palestine. The local government voted in favor of the motion, deciding to fly the Palestinian flag at the Campsie administration building and a local community park in Bankstown, which has a higher proportion of Middle-Eastern migrants.
In addition to flying the flag, the Canterbury-Bankstown Council also dedicated a space at a local park for the community to lay wreaths and flowers. The motion also provided support for the community to peacefully gather at public parks to demonstrate their views in support of the Palestinian people.
In response to this decision, the Australian Jewish Association (AJA) expressed their disagreement, stating that it was not the Australia they knew. They highlighted the celebrations in the streets by Muslims in the area following the Hamas slaughter of Jewish civilians on October 7.
Meanwhile, Randwick Council in Sydney’s eastern suburbs decided not to fly the Palestinian flag on top of its Town Hall. The decision came after a motion was put forward by Councillor Daniel Rosenfeld from the Liberal Party in an emergency general meeting. Councillor Rosenfeld emphasized the urgency of the situation, citing the ongoing war in Israel and the escalating rallies by pro-Palestinian individuals in Australia.
The recent events at multiple Sydney councils are part of the larger response to the Israel-Hamas conflict. Pro-Palestine rallies took place in front of the Opera House in early October, where a flag of Israel was stomped on and protesters were heard yelling offensive remarks. In response, the NSW Police launched Operation Shelter to manage future protests related to the conflict.
Meanwhile, the Coalition is urging Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to visit Israel on his way back from his trip to the United States. As of October 24, Mr. Albanese had not yet spoken to Israeli President Benjamin Netanyahu, although he has had conversations with the Israeli Ambassador to Australia. When questioned about taking sides, the prime minister made it clear that they stand against Hamas and support a two-state solution.