The Hon. P.B. MALINAUSKAS (Croydon—Premier) (11:01): I move:

That this house—

(a) unequivocally condemns the attacks on Israel by Hamas, which are the heinous acts of terrorists, and have encompassed the targeting and murder of civilians, including women and children, the taking of hostages and indiscriminate rocket fire;

(b) stands with Israel and recognises its inherent right to defend itself;

(c) condemns antisemitism and recognises that generations of Jewish people have been subjected to this hateful prejudice;

(d) calls for the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages;

(e) recognises that Hamas does not represent the Palestinian people, nor their legitimate needs and aspirations;

(f) acknowledges the devastating loss of Israeli and Palestinian life and that innocent civilians on all sides are suffering as a result of the attacks by Hamas and the subsequent conflict;

(g) supports justice and freedom for Israelis and Palestinians alike;

(h) supports international efforts to establish and maintain humanitarian access into Gaza, including safe passage for civilians;

(i) reiterates Australia's consistent position in all contexts is to call for the protection of civilian lives and the observance of international law;

(j) acknowledges what has unfolded is deeply distressing for many in the South Australian community, close to the heart of many, and it is important that we maintain respect for each other here at home as people express their views;

(k) condemns all forms of hate speech and violent extremist activity, including antisemitism and Islamophobia;

(l) recognises an attack on any religion is an attack on all religions and that we all share a responsibility to unite, condemn and defeat such an attack on our common values and way of life; and

(m) affirms in the strongest possible terms that hateful prejudice has no place in South Australia.

Mr PEDERICK (Hammond) (12:13): I rise to support this motion in support of Israel, and I, too, want to acknowledge Norman Schueler OAM and other guests in the gallery here today. This house unequivocally condemns the attacks on Israel by Hamas, which are the heinous acts of terrorists and have encompassed the targeting and murder of civilians, including women and children, the taking of hostages and indiscriminate rocket fire.

What we saw in recent days was the absolutely cowardly attack by Hamas terrorists on the innocents of Israel—the innocent babies, the innocent children, the innocent men and women, especially the young men and women who were at that music festival, enjoying themselves. As has been described already, there were heinous acts—heinous acts—of beheadings and other terrible ways to murder civilians to try to get some message across. Well, it does not work. It does not work, especially against a state, a country, like Israel. We do condemn these heinous acts, and the people of Palestine must do their bit as well to shut Hamas down.

We do stand with Israel and recognise its inherent right to defend itself. In talking about that, I want to acknowledge the citizens of Israel; its defence force, the Israel Defence Forces; and the reservists who are being flown home from all over the world, willingly, to defend their homeland. Our thoughts and prayers are certainly with them.

We certainly condemn antisemitism, and we recognise that generations of Jewish people have been subjected to this hateful prejudice. We have seen this happen over millennia to the Jewish people, because they are successful. They are very successful in a whole range of ways, whether it is engineering, whether it is in finance. But, certainly, in standing up for themselves, as they have had to, I would suggest they would be the toughest people in the world—because they have had to be. They have had to stand up for themselves.

We certainly call for the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages. I note that hundreds of hostages have been taken, and I really feel for them. I know that the Israeli defence force will be doing its utmost to get their release, and I cannot but think of the terror, not just for them but for their families. It would be too horrific to bear.

As I have already indicated, we recognise that Hamas does not represent the Palestinian people, nor their legitimate needs and aspirations. They certainly do not, and they continue to send rockets into Israel, knowing that innocent civilians will be killed not just in Israel but in Palestine, the place they think they stand for. I could not think of anything further from the truth.

We acknowledge the devastating loss of Israeli and Palestinian life and that innocent civilians on all sides are suffering as a result of the attacks by Hamas and the subsequent conflict, and that is ongoing. We do support justice and freedom for Israelis and Palestinians alike, and we support international efforts to establish and maintain humanitarian access into Gaza, including safe passage for civilians.

I want to acknowledge the restraint shown by the Israeli defence force in giving time lines on any possible movement into Gaza, restraint that has been extended multiple times, because they are trying to get realistic outcomes in the defence of their homeland. We reiterate Australia's consistent position in all contexts to call for the protection of civilian lives and the observance of international law.

We do acknowledge that what has unfolded is deeply distressing for many in the South Australian community. It is close to the heart of many, and it is important that we maintain respect for each other here at home as people express their views.

Before the Palestinian protest on the weekend here in Adelaide I was asked by several people what my views were and I said, 'I support peaceful protest,' and I do. The rights that we have in this country are to be celebrated, but once things get away from being that we have problems. From all reports it was a peaceful protest. It is a good thing that people have the right to speak out, and certainly the Israeli people have that right as well.

We condemn all forms of hate speech and violent extremist activity, including antisemitism and Islamophobia, and we recognise that an attack on any religion is an attack on all religions and that we all share a responsibility to unite, condemn and defeat such an attack on our common values and way of life. We affirm in the strongest possible terms that hateful prejudice has no place in South Australia.

I hope that this conflict comes to an end sooner rather than later. I urge everyone to have a good hard look at what is going on, on whatever side of the line they are, and to use restraint and negotiation where possible. I certainly support Israel and its right to defend itself, but I also urge restraint in the broader Middle East region from Israel's neighbours and others and also from the massing western forces. I know that the Unites States has sent two carrier groups. We need this to be resolved peacefully, and I urge that to happen not just for Israel but for the world.