Sydney [Australia], October 9: Hundreds of Australians have arrived home after being evacuated in the latest round of flights from Lebanon, as bipartisanship on the Middle East conflict breaks down in federal parliament.
A government-chartered evacuation flight operated by Qantas landed in Sydney on Tuesday night with 220 citizens and permanent residents onboard
It's among several flight ferrying about 1200 people out of Lebanon as Israeli strikes rain down on the nation, with commercial flights cancelled due to the conflict.
Sydney woman Houda Ammoun, one of the people on the flight, said she was thankful to be back in Australia, but also concerned for family left behind.
"It's very hard. I can't explain it, the smoke and everything," she said, breaking down in tears.
"I'm very happy to be back home because over there is very, very sad.
"It's not fair. Why should we do this - (it's) our home, our houses, our families?"
The 15,890km flight from Cyprus to Sydney, covered entirely by the federal government, was among the longest flown by Qantas, exceeding its regular Perth-London trip on its 787 Dreamliner.
Six Australian government flights have ferried people to safety, while a further 3892 Australians and their families are registered to depart, with vulnerable and displaced passengers prioritised.
Jacob Mohammed arrived on the first repatriation flight on Monday, but was back at the airport on Tuesday awaiting his mother, sister and brother.
"For three weeks we'd been trying to get out, trying to book to Turkey, anything," he said, while heaping praise on Australian officials behind the evacuation.
Residents of other cities were flown to their nearest home domestic airport Qantas operates to, at no cost.
It comes as federal MPs argue after a parliamentary motion condemning escalating violence in the Middle East failed to get bipartisan support, following the first anniversary of the October 7 attack by Hamas on Israel.
The motion included a call to release remaining Israeli hostages, recognition of the number of Palestinian civilians killed in Gaza and an immediate ceasefire in the enclave and Lebanon.
Finance Minister Katy Gallagher took aim at Opposition Leader Peter Dutton for agreement not being reached between the major parties.
"I know the lengths that were gone to to try and reach agreement with the opposition to have a bipartisan motion and they were extensive," Senator Gallagher told ABC Radio on Wednesday.
"The parliament could have projected and made a statement in respect of the atrocities that happened on October 7 last year."
Mr Dutton had accused Prime Minister Anthony Albanese of "walking both sides of the street" on the Middle East.
Opposition foreign spokesman Simon Birmingham said the lack of bipartisanship was regretful, but claimed the government had shifted its position on the conflict.
"The motion . omitted to say that it recognised Israel's inherent right to self-defence and supported Israel in the protection of its civilians," he told ABC TV.
"We saw some fundamental differences and, unfortunately, despite efforts, the government was not willing to compromise on those."
Greens leader Adam Bandt said the party could not support the motion.
"We have to mourn those who have died as part of this cycle of violence before and afterwards and since as well," he said.
"There is no place for anti-Semitism In Australia, and we condemn it, no place for Islamophobia, but we think those two things can sit side by side with opposing the invasion as well."
Source: Fijian Broadcasting Cooperation
