Dear [name]

I am writing to you as a Labor voter [supporter / member as appropriate] in [name of electorate or state].

Like all decent Australians, I was horrified at the attack on Israel made by Hamas terrorists on 7 October, in which about 1,200 people, mostly Jewish civilians, and including at least one Australian citizen, were killed. I know that you, like me, condemn absolutely the sadistic murder of unarmed men, women and children, the rape of many women, and the taking of more than 200 hostages, who are now being held in Gaza.

I thank and congratulate Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and the Labor government for their immediate and resolute condemnation of the Hamas attacks, and for their support for Israel’s right to defend itself.

I am concerned, however, that since Israel began its military operation to remove Hamas from control of Gaza, much of the Australian media has lost sight of why Israel has undertaken this operation, and has uncritically repeated many falsehoods about Israel and the current situation. I hope that you, as my Labor representative, will speak out against these falsehoods. international relations at the Histadrut.

I support Labor’s long-standing policy of support for a two-state solution to the Israel-Palestine conflict, to be achieved through direct negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian Authority. Labor must reject those fringe elements who call for a “one-state solution”, which would entail the destruction of the State of Israel and the expulsion of 7 million Jewish Israelis.