Palestine, ecocide and the progressive left

We have seen the silencing and censorship  of Australian artists and writers, of academics and students and journalists who have been side lined, threatened and sacked for speaking out in support of Gaza. 

Whilst there have been a chorus of some voices calling for a ceasefire and the protection of civilians, we continue to witness an unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza. The actions and advocacy of everyone are critical, including all actors of the progressive left. This catastrophe does not take place in isolation of grave rights abuses across all sectors and industries. There must be courageous solidarity, in spite of attacks on those opposing the genocide in Gaza.

So, what does this mean for members of civil society; of the progressive side of politics? Tonight the panel will ask: where are the voices of the climate and conservation organisations in this historic moment? Where are all those large NGOs who routinely ask the broader community to turn out for climate marches and submission writing and lobbying of local MPs on behalf of their agenda? What does it mean for environmental organisations to call for planetary solidarity while falling silent on the destruction of Gaza.

Al Haq, an independent Palestinian non-governmental human rights organisation based in Ramallah, in their submission to the United Nations (UN) Special Rapporteur on Toxics and Human Rights, is advocating that the Special Rapporteur should call on and support the international community in adding the crime of ecocide into the Rome Statute. 

It is estimated that Israel’s decimation of buildings and infrastructure in Gaza since October 2023 has produced more than 39 million tonnes of rubble, which contains hazardous materials, including household chemicals, pharmaceuticals, disinfectants, laboratory chemicals, and pesticides. It is estimated that it will take five years and around USD $647-513 million to clear the debris from key infrastructure and roads networks.

The unprecedented scale of environmental damage in Gaza reveals the inadequacy of environmental protections in international criminal law. Join us for this conversation as we look at the role of the progressive left, the climate movement and the need for intersectional solidarity to address the atrocities of this magnitude.

Ahmed Abadla (Emcee) is a Gazan Palestinian and creator of the Red Inverted Triangle podcast, where he hosts interviews and conversations on the Palestinian struggle for liberation. He is also the founder of grassroots & democratic Sydney-based collective Palestine Justice Movement in Sydney, organising for justice in Palestine.

Panellists:

Mazin Qumsiyeh (via zoom, Bethlehem) is a Palestinian scientist and author founder and director of the Palestine Museum of Natural History (PMNH) and the Palestine Institute for Biodiversity and Sustainability (PIBS) at Bethlehem University where he teaches. Over the course of his career he has published well over 150 scientific papers on topics ranging from cultural heritage to biodiversity in addition to several books.

Dr Julie Macken  recently completed her PhD at Western Sydney University into the question of Australia’s treatment of refugees. In 2016 she got together with Carmen Lawrence, Pamela Curr, Wendy Bacon and Claire O’Connor to form Australian Women in Support of Women on Nauru. She is passionate about changing the way Australia treats those who ask for our protection and how we treat this ancient land.

Claire Parfitt is a Lecturer in Political Economy at the University of Sydney and author of False Profits of Ethical Capital. Her research contributes to debates in the social studies of finance, moral philosophy, economic geography, cultural economy, intellectual property and interdisciplinary accounting literatures.

Sam Castro is the Operations Coordinator and Secretary of Friends of the Earth Australia (FoE). Sam is also a FoE Asia Pacific elected representative on Friends of the Earth International's Gender Justice Dismantling Patriarchy Working Group. 

All donations will go to cover the costs of the event with additional funds raised going to Families for Palestine who are supporting Gazan families in Sydney.