Amnesty International Australia will deliver a petition signed by around 125,000 people to Defence Minister Richard Marles today, demanding the Australian Government immediately end Australia’s involvement in the supply of weapons to Israel and impose a national arms embargo.
The petition handover follows mounting calls for the Australian Government to take concrete action to prevent Australian weapons, components and public resources from contributing to violations of international law.
The handover will coincide with the introduction to parliament of the Red Lines Package; a suite of bills designed to put Australia’s international human rights obligations into domestic law. The package, endorsed by Amnesty International Australia, would strengthen safeguards against Australian weapons, public money, investments and trade contributing to genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity and unlawful settlements.
Petition delivery details
Amnesty International Australia’s representatives will deliver the petition signed by 124,665 Australians on Parliament House lawns at 11am on Monday 14 September.
The petition handover will be held in conjunction with the ‘Wall of Tears’ by American artist Phil Buehler on the Parliament House lawns, a heartbreaking memorial to the 18,457 children reported killed in Gaza between October 2023 and July 2025.
Andrew Witheford, Amnesty International Australia’s International and Crisis Campaigner says:
“This petition shows one thing very clearly: 125,000 people are calling on the Australian Government to stop Australia from contributing to grave violations of international law.
“The strength of this petition shows there is a clear public demand for greater transparency, stronger national arms controls and robust end-use monitoring.”
Andrew Witheford, Amnesty International Australia’s International and Crisis Campaigner
“Despite the Government’s repeated denials of Australian involvement in the supply of weapons to Israel, Australia’s arms controls framework remains opaque. The strength of this petition shows there is a clear public demand for greater transparency, stronger national arms controls and robust end-use monitoring.
“Australia must not allow its weapons, components or resources to contribute to violations of international law.”
Background
Australia plays a substantial role in the global supply chain of F-35 fighter jet components, an aircraft that has been used by Israeli forces in airstrikes on designated safe zones in Gaza. Israeli airstrikes that have resulted in the deaths of tens of thousands of civilians. As one of a limited number of countries involved in manufacturing these components, Australia’s continued participation raises serious concerns about complicity in war crimes, genocide, and other grave violations of international law.
Under Article 6 of the Arms Trade Treaty, to which Australia is a State Party, governments are prohibited from authorising arms transfers where they know the weapons could be used to commit genocide, crimes against humanity, or war crimes. Supplying weapons or components in such circumstances may give rise to legal liability for both States and corporations.
The petition calls on the Australian Government to:
- impose a national arms embargo on Israel;
- end any Australian involvement in the supply of weapons to Israel;
- oppose unlawful Israeli settlements; and
- establish a transparent national arms controls system with robust monitoring and end-use verification mechanisms.
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