Published: 16 April 2019
Last updated: 4 March 2024
Former Labor MP stands by bleach drink claims (New Daily)
Dumped Labor candidate Melissa Parke is standing by her “lurid” claim that an Israeli soldier forced a pregnant Palestinian woman to drink bleach at a checkpoint after it emerged the incident was reported at the time by Reuters
Multiple reports at the time have now confirmed a female Israeli soldier was charged over an incident in 2003, but she defended her actions on the grounds that the Palestinian woman had told the soldiers she was carrying water and was ordered to drink it on that basis
Labor MP Josh Wilson under fire for Israeli checkpoint comments (West Australian)
Israeli ambassador Mark Sofer said: “The obsession with demonising Israel, which thankfully is the domain of the few, does not at all help the Palestinians and serves only to hamper possible rapprochement in the Middle East”.
Melissa Parke quits as Labor's Curtin 'star candidate' over Israel remarks (SMH)
Labor's star candidate for Julie Bishop's seat of Curtin quit on Friday night after the party entered into crisis talks over remarks she made about the Israel and Palestine conflict.
It is understood Melissa Parke withdrew her candidacy after reports she told a group of pro-Palestinian activists last month that Australia should recognise a Palestinian state and that Israel's settlements were akin to China's island building activity in the South China Sea.
Ms Parke made unverified claims about incidents of cruelty she said had been perpetrated by Israelis at checkpoints.
Photo: Labor's candidate for Curtin Melissa Parke has raised the ire of the Jewish community with her strident support for Palestine (Marina Neil)
