9 July 2024: Senator Fatima Payman resigned from the Australian Labor Party yesterday, Thursday 4 July over lack of support from her party to recognise Palestine and its inaction over the Gaza genocide, writes Zia Ahmad, Editor-in-Chief of AMUST (Australian Muslim Times) on July 5.
In a media release yesterday (July 4), she said, “I am torn, deeply torn – on one hand I have the immense support of the rank-and-file members, the unionists and party volunteers who are calling on me to hang in there and to continue fighting the good fight internally. On the other hand, I am pressured to conform to caucus solidarity and toeing the line. I see no middle ground and my conscience leaves me no choice.”
She further added, “As a representative of the diverse and vibrant communities of Western Australia, I am compelled to be their true voice in this chamber, especially when the cries for justice and humanity echo so loudly. Unlike my colleagues, I know how it feels to be on the receiving end of injustice. My family did not flee a war-torn country, to come here as refugees, for me to remain silent when I see atrocities inflicted on innocent people.”
In an exclusive interview with OnePath Network released earlier today (July 5), she talked about the challenges she faced over her support for Palestine, the ongoing suffering of Palestinians and genocide in Gaza perpetrated by the state of Israel.
Questioned about her decision to quit and her future, she said, “It’s going to be an interesting journey but I will, Alhamdulillah, you know, I’ve got a clear conscience. I feel very blessed that, through the strength of my convictions, I was able to uphold the principles and values that I believed in.”
When asked to comment on the wide community support for her stand on Palestine, she said, “You know, it is encouraging me to continue fighting the good fight and encouraging me to stay strong on my principles. It’s that level of integrity that they say they don’t see in politics these days. and, you know, I’m quite fortunate to be in a position where I had to just draw the line, and make sure that people out there realise your hands aren’t always tied, and that can no longer be an excuse, especially when you’re seeing young children going through amputation without anesthetics or having their legs blown off.”
She further added, “And the displacement, the starvation, all the atrocities that we see through social media, through independent journalists who are risking their lives on the ground to make sure that we are given that right, to be able to visually see what’s happening. It’s you can’t unsee those atrocities and you can’t remain silent. You can’t just sit back with a clear conscience and say, I’ve done everything I could.”
Earlier, Labor Senator Fatima Payman garnered widespread community support for her brave and bold move to cross the floor to vote, held on Tuesday 25 June, in favour of the resolution supporting Palestinian statehood, voting with the cross bench with the Greens and independent senators against the Labor Government and the Liberal Opposition.
A number of Australian Muslim organisations, community leaders and Palestine advocacy groups have released statements of admiration and support for her to speak up against the genocide of Palestinians and Israeli war crimes being committed relentlessly against the Gazan population on an ongoing basis.
Senator Payman, supporting Labor Party policy, faced threats of expulsion from her party. She stated, “We cannot believe in a two-state solution and only recognise one.”
Her stand has been widely praised online for showing integrity and courage.
The Australian Muslim Advocacy Network (AMAN) has urged politicians and media, particularly Opposition leader Peter Dutton, to avoid promoting anti-Muslim and anti-Palestinian sentiments following Senator Payman’s landmark vote in Parliament.
AMAN has also cautioned politicians against appearing on Sky News Australia, which has refused to moderate its comment threads despite AMAN’s warnings. The advocacy group stressed that leaders of a multicultural nation like Australia must govern inclusively and that media entities should avoid vilifying people based on race or religion.
The Australia Palestine Advocacy Network (APAN) said that Senator Payman’s action resonates deeply with Australians who uphold values of fairness, justice, and international law.
