Paul Murphy calls out hypocrisy on occupied territories bill
Paul Murphy accused politicians of hypocrisy over the occupied territories bill, saying they promised to pass it but are now planning to gut it and hide behind claims of legality. He condemned the apartheid conditions facing Palestinians, accused much of the world's media of whitewashing a genocide, and blamed ICJ-based legal excuses and external corporate and political influence.
Paul Murphy said politicians who pledged to pass the occupied territories bill in the election and leaders' debate - naming Mio Martin and Simon Harris - are now preparing to weaken it. He described this reversal as cynical and hypocritical, arguing electoral promises have been abandoned.
Murphy rejected the claim that the change is about acting lawfully, saying the government has rested its position on the ICJ opinion and that the ICJ makes no distinction between goods and services. He characterised the legality argument as "a nonsense" and insisted the issue is about power.
He said millions have had their eyes opened over the past 16 months to the apartheid nature of the Israeli state, the displacement and discrimination faced by Palestinians, and the complicity of large parts of the world's media in whitewashing a genocide. He framed these developments as symptoms of a capitalist, imperialist system that devalues Palestinian life.
Murphy accused politicians of bowing to US corporations and to Donald Trump, saying decisions are driven by corporate profit and international pressure rather than human rights. He condemned the prioritisation of profit and corporate rights over Palestinian lives and called the stance shameful.
Main accusations
Paul Murphy said politicians who pledged to pass the occupied territories bill in the election and leaders' debate - naming Mio Martin and Simon Harris - are now preparing to weaken it. He described this reversal as cynical and hypocritical, arguing electoral promises have been abandoned.
Legal defence criticised
Murphy rejected the claim that the change is about acting lawfully, saying the government has rested its position on the ICJ opinion and that the ICJ makes no distinction between goods and services. He characterised the legality argument as "a nonsense" and insisted the issue is about power.
Allegations about media and system-wide failures
He said millions have had their eyes opened over the past 16 months to the apartheid nature of the Israeli state, the displacement and discrimination faced by Palestinians, and the complicity of large parts of the world's media in whitewashing a genocide. He framed these developments as symptoms of a capitalist, imperialist system that devalues Palestinian life.
Accusations of external influence and consequences
Murphy accused politicians of bowing to US corporations and to Donald Trump, saying decisions are driven by corporate profit and international pressure rather than human rights. He condemned the prioritisation of profit and corporate rights over Palestinian lives and called the stance shameful.
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Transcript
Thanks Count Corla. Over the past 16 months, millions and millions of people have had their eyes opened to awful things about the world that we live in. About the apartheid nature of the Israeli state. About the oppression, the displacement, the discrimination faced by Palestinians on a daily basis. About the deep depravity of the capitalist, imperialist system we live in, where Palestinian life is effectively worthless. About the complicity of much of the world's media, which whitewashed a genocide that unfolds before their eyes and before our eyes. But one other thing that people have had their eyes open to is the deep cynicism and hypocrisy of politicians. Politicians who promise one thing before an election, only to scrap it immediately afterwards. Politicians who have lofty words about human rights and then prioritise the rights of profit of corporations. Mio Martin, Simon Harris stood in the elections, stood in the leaders debate and said we will pass the occupied territories bill. Now you are planning to gut it. And you hide behind the language of we need to do this lawfully. It is a nonsense and you know it is a nonsense. I tell you why it is a nonsense. Because you have rested your whole basis of doing this on the ICJ opinion. That is why you said last year oh now all of a sudden we can do it. Because of the ICJ. Well you know what, the ICJ makes no distinction between goods and services. No distinction whatsoever. So this has nothing to do with legality. Nothing whatsoever. It is about power. It is about bowing down to US corporations and it is about shamefully bowing down to Donald Trump. Absolute shame on you.