The NSW Nurses and Midwives’ Association (NSWNMA) has committed to continue its advocacy for lasting peace in the Middle East, where compliance with international law and human rights is paramount.
We maintain our position in condemning both the actions of Hamas on 7 October 2023 and the 22-month conflict in Gaza that has followed.
We reiterate our calls for an immediate ceasefire, for the release of all remaining hostages, for governments to implement sanctions against Israel, and for all military trade with Israel to cease. This genocidal war must end.
The ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza, including the mass starvation of Palestinian civilians following the deliberate disruption of aid and vital services by the Israeli Government, is abhorrent.
The Israeli Defence Forces deadly attacks upon hospitals in the strip and its escalated assaults on hundreds of thousands of people has pushed the healthcare system to the brink.
These insidious attacks are not just violations of human rights and international law – they are an attack on our caring professions, and on the global principle that healthcare must be protected.
We stand with all the health workers who continue to care for the injured, sick, and starving ahead of their own health, safety and wellbeing.
The NSWNMA notes and welcomes plans by the Australian government to stand alongside France, the United Kingdom and Canada to recognise Palestine as a state at the United Nations General Assembly in September.
A two-state solution will deliver peace, safety and security for all involved. We reject calls for a one-state solution, or for any further acts of war. All countries must stand together to denounce this cruel genocide and acknowledge the devastating human toll.
We must all stand together to oppose acts of hatred, bigotry and racism. We stand united against antisemitism and Islamophobia, calling all workers to unite against war. We therefore endorse Unions for Peace and encourage unionists to join their events.
