Greens senator David Shoebridge has urged Australia to cancel its arms deals with Israel, saying that such a step would be far more meaningful than statements of concern from Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong about Israel’s military assault in Lebanon.
Speaking on RN Breakfast, Shoebridge said previous remarks from Wong, whether describing the situation as “concerned” or “gravely concerned,” had not changed anything. He argued that ending more than a billion dollars in Israeli arms contracts would create real pressure on Israel to pull back from what he described as a disastrous, illegal and immoral war in Lebanon.
Shoebridge said Australia should not be purchasing weapons that have been tested by Israeli defence manufacturers in conflicts such as Gaza and Lebanon. He also said the country should not be contributing any weapons parts.
According to Shoebridge, cancelling the contracts would not only respond to the moral issues raised by the conflict, but also send a direct signal to Israel that there would be a tangible cost for continuing its military actions.
The comments come as concern grows over Israel’s ongoing military assault in Lebanon, with political debate in Australia continuing over how the federal government should respond. Shoebridge’s remarks place renewed pressure on Labor to consider stronger action beyond diplomatic language.
The senator framed the issue as both an ethical and practical question, arguing that Australia should avoid involvement in weapons supply chains connected to the conflict. He said the current approach had produced no effect and that a more decisive response was needed.
His intervention adds to wider criticism of the federal government’s position on the conflict, particularly among Greens figures who have pressed for stronger measures against Israel. While Penny Wong has expressed concern, Shoebridge said that concern alone has not altered the situation.
The debate reflects a broader tension in Australian foreign policy between condemnation of violence and the use of trade or defence ties as leverage. Shoebridge’s call to suspend arms deals represents one of the clearest demands yet for material consequences rather than statements alone.
As the conflict continues, pressure is likely to increase on the Albanese government to define how far Australia is prepared to go in responding to the war in Lebanon and the role of Israeli military operations in the region.
