Thursday, 17 October 2024

Middle East conflict

Kathleen MATTHEWS-WARD (Broadmeadows) (10:26): Today I grieve for the many Lebanese families in my electorate, many of whom have lost loved ones, and all who are worried about friends and relatives back home. I thank those in Lebanon who are helping to feed and house the displaced. Despite that they are one of the most hospitable and generous nationalities on the planet, I know the toll this is taking on everyone. I also thank local leaders and organisations for all they are doing to support our community in this distressing time and to support those newly arrived who escaped the conflict but are suffering much loss and trauma.

I again condemn in the strongest possible terms all who kill innocent people, especially children, who break international law, who target schools and hospitals, who starve or terrorise and who seek to make others suffer. I thank the federal government for their ongoing diplomatic efforts and calls for a ceasefire and an end to the death and starvation of civilians. While some parties are choosing to exploit people’s fear, pain and trauma for political gain and threatening our multicultural and multifaith haven here in Victoria with disinformation, encouraging people to get more radical, I thank the many doing everything they can to turn down the temperature, to heal the pain and to collectively work for a better and more peaceful world.

It is easy to put fear and division and a sense of exclusion into people’s hearts. It is much harder to instil love and hope and a sense of generosity towards each other. If we cannot encourage truthful and respectful discussion and dialogue here, we cannot expect diplomacy to deliver peace overseas. Hate begets hate, violence begets violence and only love begets love.