Suspended for standing up for Palestine

I have been suspended from my high school for challenging a federal minister about his continued support for Israel and the genocide in Palestine.

I am a year 11 student at Coburg High in Melbourne, and Assistant Minister for Defence Peter Khalil visited our school this week. When I saw him on my way to class, I asked him about the government’s continued support for the Israeli government as it carries out genocide.

Khalil attempted to defend himself. He went on about how much he cares for the Palestinians. His evidence for this was that his father was in the Egyptian army, he is an immigrant, has been to Palestine and has “spoken with Penny Wong on many occasions”.

How is any of that relevant?

As I continued asking questions, Khalil began to walk away. A year 12 student joined me and we chanted as Kahlil entered the school building: “Free Palestine, Peter!” Another student joined us in this short and mild protest.

But we were told off by our vice principal and principal.

My classmates and I have a history of protesting for Palestine. A contingent of us left school to join the School Strikes for Palestine and the demonstration against the Land Forces arms expo in Melbourne.

After questioning Khalil, I was barred from returning to class. I had to spend an hour with the vice principal, who told me what I had done was wrong and that if I wanted to talk to Peter, I should have “had a meeting and had a civilised conversation”.

If what my classmates and I did was “uncivilised”, then what do you call the genocide in Gaza that Khalil and Labor have supported?

I was told that I could do “community service” to avoid multiple days of suspension. But I believe that protesting for Gaza and holding politicians to account is the best service I can perform for my community.

Maybe Peter should be doing some global community service by ending Australia’s ties with apartheid Israel.

Khalil later posted on his social media: “On Monday I answered questions from some really politically passionate year 10 students ... We discussed youth health issues ...” Actually, he completely avoided talking about the health of Gaza’s children, who have been systematically bombed and starved.

Although I have been suspended for doing what was right and being on the right side of history, this will not stop our fight for a free Palestine—because none of us is free until Palestine is free.