Queenslander and Christian war protester, Margie Pestorius, is in Melbourne/Naarm, and she sent The Other Cheek details of the action she is associated with. Her’s is a Christian voice not often heard, but The Other Cheek believes it should be included. The protestors say that dozens of F35 fighter jet parts have been exported through Australia directly to Israel. Export permits were signed for these transfers. Government officials have revealed in Senate Estimates that they know about the arrangements and have indicated that they are party to the facilitation. The protestors are campaigning against the politicians and the government officials involved.
Note: the protesters use the word “genocide:” The Other Cheek does not endorse this word, but recognises a vast amount of human suffering, and death among the Gazan people, so understands why people reach for that word.
A 2023 press release from the Department of Defence highlighted the Australian contribution to the global F35 program. “Australian industry is playing an increasingly important role in the production and sustainment of the global F-35 fleet, which has now reached over 975 aircraft of an expected global fleet of over 3,000.
“To date more than 70 Australian companies have directly shared more than $4.13 billion in global F-35 production and sustainment contracts.”
According to a Guardian report, RUAG Australia, also known as Rosebank Engineering, is the only global supplier of the F-35’s “uplock actuator system”, which allows the jet to quickly open its bay doors and fire missiles while maintaining stealth.
“The Weapons Outta Here campaign is to stop the supply of F35 genocide jet maintenance parts from Straya to USrael: no F35 parts supply, no F35 genocide jets can fly!” Pestorius tells us.
“The Campaign focus has pivoted to spotlighting the Strayan Department of Defence (War) ministers Conroy and Marles, Dept of Foreign Affairs minister Wong, and ‘public servants’ Nockels, Jeffrey, Deeble and Moriarty. These officials directly facilitate the transfer of F35 lethal weapons’ parts – to keep F35 genocide jets flying and bombing children in SWANA – from Straya to USrael. Which of these persons IS the hand that signs the F35 lethal weapons’ parts’ export papers? we ask.
“Do your part to bear witness and hold the government minsters and public servants accountable by contacting them directly – via letter linked below – to tell them: We the people accuse these three ministers and their public servant co-conspirators of knowingly permitting (in the sense of government permissions to supply weapons to) genocide. We charge that these elected representatives of the Australian people are making all Australians complicit in genocide by their actions – without the people’s knowledge or consent – under the terms of: the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT), 2013; the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, 1951; and the Australian Defence Export Regulations, 2013. We the people hold you, our representatives, wholly accountable for making us all complicit in genocide! We the people say: “Marles, Conroy, Moriarty, Wong and all your war-mongering mates – we will see you in The Hague!” We say not in our names! We will see you in The Hague!”
If you wish to join in protesting this arming of one side in the current war, the protestors provide a letter is drafted and ready to send via email with a few clicks; you can add to or delete as required.https://actionnetwork.org/letters/put_aus_gov_officials_on_notice__send_them_to_the_hague
As a second-generation Australian Jew I am happy that Australian companies are contributing to smashing tyranny in Iran as well as in the Iranian-backed disputed territories of the land my God and your God promised to Israel in an everlasting covenant. Just for a moment spare a thought for the people of the only Jewish state in the world, a democracy, one-third the size of Tasmania, with around 10 million people, two million of whom are Arab mostly Muslims with full legal rights. They are surrounded by 22 Arab states almost twice the land area of Australia, many hostile, including Iranian backed Hamas in Gaza and in Judea and Samaria (the so-called West Bank), the murderous Hizbollah in Lebanon, bloodthirsty Houthis in Yemen and of course the tyrannical regime in Iran itself. Let’s also not forget that Iran has sponsored terrorism in Australia against Australians. The war against Iran is a just war in which Israel is trying its best to defend its people amid Jew hatred from all sides including despicably from within Christian churches. Surely Christians of genuine faith must consider both Israel’s legitimate right to the land as well as the spiritual dimension of attempts to once again try to destroy the Jewish people in a plan right out of Satan’s playbook. Wake up!