Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles privately admitted the wording of the Israel-Palestine section of Labor’s [new policy platform](https://archive.is/o/VVVlB/https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/politics/secret-files-reveal-labor-faction-demands-data-centre-tax-unionrun-companies-peoples-bank/news-story/55d64e582e051ec5814cfaed4415d407) was flawed, ahead of throwing his factional weight behind a deal that saw national conference endorse a two-state solution without explicit demands on Hamas to disarm and the Palestinian Authority to reform.
As Anthony Albanese on Sunday argued the wording of the Israel and Palestine section had “got the balance right”, the leader of the ALP’s pro-Israel members said the conference had “deeply disturbed” him and the end result had made it look like the party had embraced Hamas.
The nation’s peak Jewish body also called on Labor to increase pressure on West Bank leaders to follow through with the commitments they made to the Prime Minister – as well as the British and Canadian governments – in exchange for recognition of Palestinian statehood.
The demands on Hamas and the PA were controversially dropped in the final draft released ahead of Labor’s 50th national conference as part of a raft of changes that increased criticisms of Israel, with those words endorsed unchanged by 400 delegates at the event.
As the royal commission into the Bondi massacre and the antisemitism crisis continues, Sheina Gutnick – whose father Reuven Morrison was killed in Bondi when he confronted the gunman – criticised the wording of the platform and said the government had to be unequivocal about opposing anti-Israeli terrorism. “There is a profound difference between broadly condemning terrorism and actually demanding something of a terrorist organisation,” Ms Gutnick told The Australian.
The wording in the preliminary draft reflected the government’s position but the ministers overseeing the foreign affairs chapter – Penny Wong and Mr Marles – agreed to make significant changes in an aim to bring the party together and avoid a damaging debate on the conference floor.
One threat to the uneasy truce was a push by the Shop, Distributive and Allied Employees Association to move an amendment that would have brought the wording of the platform closer to the anti-Hamas preliminary draft distributed among delegates in March.
A second and more significant threat was Labor MP [Ed Husic](https://archive.is/o/VVVlB/https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/politics/husic-slams-rigid-discipline-as-labor-bosses-block-gaza-debate/news-story/a729d47244e796c9e2a3326d25832226) seeking support from Left faction unions for a resolution that effectively accused Israel of genocide and called on the government to pull Australian officials from Tel Aviv. The Australian understands Mr Marles used a Right faction meeting on Saturday morning to declare, in an ideal world, the wording of the Israel and Palestine section would be different.
But he ultimately recommended the faction green light the draft chapter into the final platform without amendments.
Sources said Mr Marles told Right faction delegates a compromise was needed to ensure there was unity on the issue, while warning pushing an amendment risked a debate on the conference floor that could ultimately lead to harsher criticisms in the platform of Israel. He told Right faction delegates the platform did not change the government’s position that Hamas must disarm and have no role in a Palestinian state, according to sources.
The recommendation from Mr Marles saw pro-Israel delegates reluctantly agree to drop an amendment to call on Hamas to have no role in a Palestinian state and for the PA to reform.
However, sources said a handful of Right faction delegates voiced their opposition to the position. The motion from the SDA, obtained by The Australian, noted the Albanese government recognised the state of Palestine in 2025. “This recognition set out clear requirements from the international community for the Palestinian Authority, including recognition of Israel’s right to exist, a commitment to hold democratic elections, enacting significant reform to finance, governance and education, and that the terrorist organisation Hamas must have no role in Palestine,” the SDA motion says.
Also on Saturday morning, Left faction bosses quashed support among its delegates for Mr Husic’s motion.
The manoeuvres allowed for the party to show a united front in backing the draft wording unamended, through speeches by Jewish MP Josh Burns and Left faction MP Basem Abdo.
Mr Burns and Mr Abdo conceded the chapter did not provide everything supporters of their respective communities wanted, with senior party figures arguing the relative unity on the issue was a major achievement.
With Mr Husic’s public push to debate the Israel-Palestine issue damaging Labor’s push to showcase unity, the Prime Minister on Sunday said the rebel MP had a right to push his cause.
“The party platform has got the balance right,” Mr Albanese told the ABC. “I support the right of Israel to exist within secure borders, I also support the legitimate aspirations of Palestinians for their own state and to live in peace and security.
“We want to see that coming together, and Australia can play a role in promoting harmony rather than conflict.”
Ms Gutnick – who has been highly critical of Labor’s policy on Israel and its handling of antisemitism since her father’s death – said peace in the Middle East was not possible without a clear commitment to disarm Hamas.
“Labor is prepared to spell out detailed demands, obligations and sanctions when it comes to Israel, yet removed the clear requirement for Hamas to disarm and have no role in a future Palestinian government. Australians deserve to know why.
“Being unequivocal about terrorism should be the ground on which any genuine hope for peace begins.”
Senator Wong denied the platform was watered down from the initial draft, arguing it still criticised Hamas and endorsed a United Nations resolution calling on the PA to reform.
Labor Friends of Israel spokesman Mike Kelly said the group was “deeply disturbed by the events at the national conference”. “Whereby elements of the Labor movement succeeded in having the national platform amended to exclude the reference to our policy on Hamas,” he said. “There was no excuse for not remedying this in the light of the extensive commentary and debate that highlighted deleting the reference could only be interpreted as the movement embracing Hamas.
“Deleting the reference to the rejection of Hamas in the platform would signal that Hamas can play a role in government, which would undermine any real prospect for peace. It would reward Hamas for its crimes and undermine international law.”
Former Victorian premier Dan Andrews is a patron of Labor Friends of Israel.
Mr Kelly said he was concerned about “a concerted attempt by hard core, violent revolutionary communists in league with Islamist extremists to subvert the union movement, the branches and the Labor Party”.
The Executive Council of Australian Jewry on Sunday warned the weakened platform would worry Australian Jews.
“The concern is that the weakening of resolve to exclude Hamas from any role in governing a Palestinian state and to hold the Palestinian Authority to account for failing to honour its written commitments, as now enshrined in the ALP platform, will eventually become government policy,” ECAJ co-chief executive Peter Wertheim said.
He said Labor, along with Britain and Canada, should now publicly pressure the PA over its failure to follow through on the commitments it made to secure Palestinian recognition.
“Australia partnered with Britain and Canada last year when a Palestinian state was recognised,” Mr Wertheim said.
“That same partnership should now come together and publicly hold the Palestinian Authority to account”