Labor senator Glenn Sterle has attacked his own colleague Melissa Parke for supporting a controversial movement that seeks to pressure Israel through boycotts and sanctions.
Senator Sterle on Friday used a Senate speech to "condemn" public statements made by the West Australian Labor MP backing the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions Movement.
Ms Parke tabled a petition in parliament this week calling on the government to cease relations with companies or institutions linked to Israel.
The outspoken Labor MP said Australia should be pressuring Israel to end its "illegal" occupation of territory, cease its settlement projects and lift its blockade on Gaza.
"Until this happens, BDS is a perfectly acceptable form of protest," she told the chamber on Monday.
The comments have already earned a rebuke from Labor leader Bill Shorten, and clearly didn't impress Senator Sterle either.
He warned his colleague against diverting from Labor Party policy on the Middle East, which supports a two-state solution and lasting peace for Israel and Palestine.
He accused Ms Parke of being ill-informed about the BDS movement and called her position "simplistic and unfortunately inflammatory".
"Unfortunately the member needs to cease her support for divisive campaigns like the BDS movement and support a more constructive dialogue on the issues facing both Israelis and Palestinians," he said.
Share
