As the apocalyptic violence unleashed upon Gaza grinds on, Anthony Albanese is confronted with an insoluble problem.

For the United States and its closest allies, support for Israel is non-negotiable. As former US Secretary of State Alexander Haig declared: “Israel is the largest American aircraft carrier in the world that cannot be sunk … and is located in a critical region for American national security.”

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But a significant proportion of Australians are horrified by the genocidal violence and want Labor to do what it can to stop it.

Labor’s usual tactic of soothing messages and performative actions is cover for business as usual.

This is Labor’s historical function: the “soft cop” to the Liberals “tough cop” on behalf of big business.

However, it does not work with genocide. Foreign minister Penny Wong has tried conditional endorsement of a ceasefire, support for a so-called two-state solution — even though the Benjamin Netanyahu government is not interested in either — and other impotent hand-wringing.

Fremantle MP Josh Wilson has twice now told us, from parliament, how sad he feels about the war in Gaza. But he has not demanded his own government to do anything meaningful to pressure Israel to stop.

Words count for nothing when Labor aids........

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