In the past month, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has criticised a junior Labor senator for speaking out about the Israel-Gaza conflict, claimed pro-Palestine students chanting “from the river to the sea” “wouldn’t have a clue where the Jordan River is on a map”, and promised an inquiry into “hatred and ignorance” on campuses.
The prime minister’s comments are particularly pertinent given Albanese is a former protester himself. In the late 1990s and early 2000s, the then-recently elected Labor backbencher frequently used his platform in Parliament to make pro-Palestinian speeches. He also attended, and spoke at, protests — including one where other demonstrators burned Israeli flags and tried storming the US consulate, according to archived news stories unearthed by Crikey.
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