Labor has dismissed former prime minister Tony Abbott’s call for Australia to join the war in the Middle East, pushing back on his argument that the country should use its armed forces in support of allies in what he described as a just cause.
Abbott asked, “What is the point of having armed forces if they’re not to be used to support our allies in a just cause.” His remarks were part of a wider debate about Australia’s response to the conflict involving Iran, Israel and Lebanon.
The exchange came as the head of the International Monetary Fund warned that the Iran war will permanently scar the global economy, even if a durable peace deal can eventually be reached. The IMF chief said that even the most hopeful scenario now involves a growth downgrade, adding that there will be no neat and clean return to the status quo.
Those warnings added fresh weight to concerns about the conflict’s wider economic impact. The source material also notes that Penny Wong’s earlier statements, whether describing the situation as concerning or gravely concerning, have had no effect.
Pressure on Israel
Abbott also argued that Australia should take a stronger line on Israel, calling for more than a billion dollars in Israeli arms contracts to be cancelled. He said that would respond to what he described as the moral situation created by Israeli military attacks and would also place real material pressure on Israel to pull back from what he called a disastrous, illegal, immoral war in Lebanon.
He said Australia should not be buying weapons that have been tested by Israeli defence manufacturers in conflicts such as Gaza and Lebanon, and said the country should not be contributing any weapons parts.
According to Abbott, such a move would send a clear message to Israel that there would be a direct and real cost.
The comments came during a fast-moving political and diplomatic moment, with the conflict continuing to draw international attention and concern over both security and economic consequences.
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