Assange’s father urges freedom for Palestinians

The activist father of Julian Assange has headlined a rally in support of Palestinians, as Australians in Lebanon are advised to return home over concerns the Hamas-Israel conflict could spread further through the Middle East.

“So many familiar faces have been fighting for Julian’s freedom and fought successfully for Julian’s freedom, congratulations,” John Shipton told a passionate crowd on the steps of Victoria’s parliament in Melbourne on Saturday afternoon.

“The next job may be a bit difficult.”

Any Australians still in Lebanon have been told to leave while they still can, over concerns the country’s security could deteriorate rapidly “with little or no notice”, the Smart Traveler website states.

Australians were first told not to travel to Lebanon in October, a few weeks after Hamas’s attack on Israel.

Hamas, designated a terrorist organization by the government, on October 7 launched the assault that killed 1,200 people and led more than 200 taken hostage, according to Israeli authorities.

Israel then launched a bombing campaign and ground offensive in Gaza that has killed nearly 40,000 Palestinians, the local health ministry says.

Concerns the conflict could spread further in the Middle East have grown since Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh was killed in Tehran and senior Hezbollah commander Fouad Shukur was killed in Beirut earlier this week.

Iran threatened to respond after the attack on its territory, prompting the United States to keep an aircraft carrier in the region and move a fighter jet squadron to the Middle East.

US President Joe Biden has said he was “very concerned” the violence could escalate.

Iran and Hamas accused Israel of killing Haniyeh but Israel has not claimed responsibility.

On Friday, the family of an Australian aid worker killed by an Israeli air strike called for a criminal investigation after a government report blamed the assault on serious errors, finding it was “not deliberately directed.”

The Israeli Defense Force launched strikes in April that killed Australian Zomi Frankcom and six other World Central Kitchen workers as they delivered food in Gaza.

Former Australian Defense Force chief Mark Binskin’s report found serious errors, exacerbated by confirmation bias, led Israel to launch the strike.

A family spokesperson pushed for further investigations in Israel into those responsible.