Leon Rebello (McPherson, Liberal National Party) Share this | Hansard source

Earlier this week, I met an Israeli hostage who endured horrors whilst being held captive by Hamas. Eli Sharabi, a husband and father, sat before us to recount the horrific murder of his wife and two teenage daughters as he was captured and held hostage for 491 days by the listed terrorist organisation Hamas. During this time, Eli and other hostages were starved while Hamas seized the aid meant to keep captives and civilians alive. His kibbutz lost over 100 people in a single day. He was released on 8 February this year, only because he was over the age of 50. Many of his friends remain underground. He said something none of us will forget: 'I can't let myself cry all day. I don't think I have that privilege.'

That testimony should sober every member of this House. Instead, the Albanese government has sprinted towards recognition of a Palestinian state outside a genuine peace process, while hostages remain in tunnels and while a listed terrorist organisation still wields power and steals aid. This is reckless recognition, symbolism over statecraft. It signals to the world that terror and intransigence can be traded for diplomatic rewards. When terrorists cheer your foreign policy, a responsible prime minister would hit the brakes. Those opposite have slammed their foot on the accelerator.

The coalition's position is simple and principled. We want the hostages released, Gazans fed and the war ended. We will not recognise a Palestinian state while hostages are still being held. We will not recognise a state governed, formally or informally, by Hamas. We will not recognise a state that hasn't arisen from a credible two-state process with enforceable security arrangements, and we will not recognise a state that refuses to live in peace with Israel. That is not hardline; that is the minimal foundation for a durable peace. Those opposite say recognition of a Palestinian state will leave no room for Hamas. How? What happens when Hamas refuses, or when a successor militia fills the vacuum? If recognition is conditional, state the conditions and who verifies them. If it's unconditional, admit it and own the consequences.

When Eli spoke with us, he described begging for scraps while Hamas consumed the aid. That is not a logistics hiccup; it is a governance reality. You don't fix a terror pipeline with a press conference in Canberra. You dismantle the pipeline before you hand out the prize of statehood.

Against that grim reality abroad, there is a related and shameful reality at home. Antisemitism is rising in Australia. We see it in hateful graffiti on synagogues and cemeteries, in Jewish schools forced into lockdowns, in students and staff harassed on campuses, in small businesses targeted and families intimidated on public transport. Too many Jewish Australians tell us they're scared to display their faith, hiding school uniforms and thinking twice before attending community events. No Australian should have to choose between their safety and their identity.

During Eli's meeting with us this week, he did not ask us for pity. He asked for leadership. He urged this parliament to stand up, speak plainly and act, to call out antisemitism wherever it appears, to press for the release of every hostage and to ensure that aid reaches civilians rather than the terrorists who starved him. His appeal was simple: moral clarity backed by practical action. That is why tomorrow I will proudly attend the Australian Mayors Summit Against Antisemitism. Its purpose is straightforward: to tackle the rising threat of antisemitism in our suburbs, our streets and our schools. This summit matters because it's focused on unity, not division. Antisemitism, like every form of racism, threatens the safety and cohesion of all Australians. The summit will convene diverse voices, Indigenous leaders, interfaith partners, multicultural organisations, human rights advocates and civic leaders from across the political spectrum. This is not about foreign agendas; it's about Australian communities, Australian safety and Australian decency. Our constituents expect us to reject hate and strengthen inclusion. That is exactly what this summit is designed to do.

I'd like to close by thanking Eli for his courage—his absolute courage—in sharing his story. Let us take on his pleas to confront antisemitism wherever it surfaces.

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