With a move of tabling a bill by an independent Senator seeking a ban on imports from China, a debate has been started whether the Morrison administration would follow the Western countries or it will still be willing to work with Chinese Government to ease diplomatic dilemma.

Last week, Senator Rex Patrick tabled a bill seeking to amend the Australian Customs Act to bar the import of goods from Xinjiang and other regions of China where the products are prepared by alleged forced labour.

To stop the human rights violations and other atrocities committed by the Chinese government, the senator demanded of the Australian government to pass the bill that specifically targets the supply chains of Chinese cotton production lines.

Western countries and mainly the United States believe that the forced labour in Uyghur Muslims majority populated Xinjiang region has full support of the government, a claim that China continuously negates. The Chinese government has denied the claims of forced labour and human rights abuses in Xinjiang

China has reportedly established scores of forced labour camps along with indoctrination centres in the Xinjiang region, which some Uyghurs in the region call East Turkistan.

China is currently facing sanctions and importation of Xinjiang cotton and tomatoes is banned in US while many Western lawmakers demanding to boycott the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics.

In March this year, Chinese foreign affairs spokesman Zhao Lijian blatantly denied the claims of forced labour and concentration camps for Muslims saying that there was not a grain of truth in the ‘absurd allegation’.

He added that such an allegation was made to hold back the development of the relevant Chinese side and Chinese companies.

“Some anti-China forces ignore facts and truth and wantonly fabricate all kinds of Xinjiang-related lies. People of all ethnic groups in Xinjiang, including Xinjiang women, live and work in peace and contentment,” he said.

Mr. SM Hali, who is an expert in China’s relations with the world, said that Australian authorities led by Morrison have adopted a policy of confronting the mainland of China on several issues.

These issues, according to him, includes the Xinjiang issue, the Hong Kong issue, the South China Sea issue and the Taiwan issue, which has triggered a strong reaction from Chinese mainland.

Morrison’s government is under enormous economic pressure from the worst Sino Australian relations in history, he says.

 “However, it is questionable whether Australia’s policy of following the United States will bring maximum benefits to Australia. After all, although Biden authorities still show a strong attitude towards China, they also send Kerry to Shanghai to explore the possibility of cooperation with China,” says Mr. Hali.

Other veteran analysts believe that Australia was still like a “dutiful” clown, helping Uncle Sam (US) to blame China, regardless of the fact that Uncle Sam has contacted with the Chinese dragon.

“In response to Japan’s recent decision to discharge nuclear waste water into the Pacific Ocean, Australia, as a stakeholder, seems to have deliberately ignored this major international event and kept silent on it.”

“Morrison’s authorities completely ignored the prospect of Australian Fisheries and gave up an excellent opportunity to seek reconciliation with the Chinese government, because the Chinese authorities have expressed concern about Japan’s practice.”

“In terms of distance, Australia is closer to Asia than United States, not to mention that Australia’s main geopolitical interests lie in Asia. It is time for the Morrison administration to consider how Australia’s foreign policy as an independent country serves its national interests, and then make the right diplomatic choice,” concludes Mr. Hali.

Israeli forces detained 15 more Palestinians in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood of the occupied East Jerusalem on Friday.

A police statement said the Palestinians “were detained on charges of throwing stones and assaulting police officers and civilians.”

Protests have raged in the area since an Israeli court this month ordered Palestinian families who have lived there for generations to vacate their homes for Israeli settlers.

Israeli forces have detained dozens of Palestinians in recent days and physically assaulted residents and people who have shown up to express solidarity.

Among other excessive measures, the Israeli forces have used water cannons and stun grenades against Palestinians, according to the Palestinian Red Crescent.

A UN envoy and European powers have urged Israel to halt demolitions and evictions.

A total of 37 Palestinian families have been living in 27 homes in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood since 1956.

Jewish settlers have been trying to force them out on the basis of a law approved by the Israeli parliament in 1970.

Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians were forced to flee their villages and towns in historical Palestine to neighboring countries including Jordan, Lebanon, and Syria in 1948.

Residents of other parts of Palestine found themselves displaced to the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, including amid rising attacks by Zionist gangs to pave the way for the creation of Israel.

PARIS – During recent debate over a French bill many charge is Islamophobic, the way the bill in particular targeted the wearing of hijabs came under fierce criticism, especially from the women who say choosing how they dress is their God-given right.

The bill would ban mothers from wearing hijabs (headscarves) while accompanying their children on school trips, prohibit the wearing of coverup burkinis (full-body swimwear) in public pools, and ban minor girls from concealing their face or wearing religious symbols in the public space.

In the face of these legal challenges, a number of French women started a “don’t touch my hijab” movement on social media.

Duygu Akın, who started the movement with other French Muslim women, spoke with Anadolu Agency about Islamophobic attitudes and laws in her country.

‘HIJABS ALWAYS MADE INTO AN ISSUE’

Akin, 25, a French Muslim woman who wears a headscarf, is set to enter the business world armed with a forthcoming master’s degree in finance.

Akin, who lives in Strasbourg, said hijabs in France have long been made a subject of controversy, and have been brought up again and again.

After a British social media influencer showed her opposition to France’s hijab bans by writing “hands off my hijab” on her own hands, Akin and her friends decided to take action and translated the phrase into French.

“We wrote #pastoucheamonhijab [Don’t touch my hijab] on our hands and posted pictures on social media. With the support of those who saw our message, our movement expanded to the media,” she said.

Akin said the movement got a very good response both in France and abroad.

“Even some journalists reacted with astonishment over how hijabs are such a big issue in France even during the COVID-19 pandemic.”

‘PUBLIC BAN SPREAD TO PRIVATE COMPANIES’

Wearing a hijab during education faces many challenges in France, said Akin, adding that high schools prohibit it.

“Although only public companies have (overt) bans on hijabs, many private companies don’t hire women who wear headscarves. This is precisely because there is a bad perception of hijabs in France,” said Akin.

While the French media aired serious allegations about women who wear headscarves, they were never given a voice, she added, saying: “Together with my friends, we fought for our own voice, we found it ourselves.”

“In France, choosing and practicing a religion is a fundamental freedom and our right. These bans are completely against our freedoms. We, citizens of France who wear hijabs, demand our freedoms, which are our rights,” said Akin.

MEDIA COVERAGE OF ISLAM RESULTS IN BIAS

Akin said that France has been urging women to take off hijabs and “get their freedom” since the colonial period in Algeria.

Stating that people in cities such as Strasbourg with a large Muslim population are more accustomed to living together and respect each other, Akin added: “In some regions where there are no Muslims, the French are very prejudiced against Muslims. This is only because they learn about Islam from the media.”

Akin said that she and her friends taking part in the PasToucheAMonHijab movement started to write letters to members of parliament to express their opposition to headscarf bans and seek their support.

“Our primary current goal is blocking this bill,” she explained.

“Of course, this isn’t enough, because we want to prevent headscarves from constantly being made into an issue. Even if the bill isn’t passed, the fact that headscarves are always on the agenda causes a bad perception in people’s minds. We want to fight this too.”

ONETIME ‘RELIGIOUS SYMBOL BAN’ BECOMES ‘HIJAB BAN’

“In recent years, hijabs have been chosen instead of the word ‘religious symbol.’ They particularly point to this. It’s not just any religious symbol, the hijab is banned. They use the word hijab,” Akin explained.

“This is a direct Islamophobic problem. Because it directly targets Muslim women who wear headscarves.”

Akin said French President Emmanuel Macron had no problem with hijabs when he was first elected but later his attitude changed.

“He’s approaching the end of his term and he’s trying to get votes from the right wing. Also, we feel like we hijab-wearing women are being used to avoid talking about real problems,” she said.

“For example, there were the (nationwide) Yellow Vest protests, but the main issue was (still) hijabs. Then there is this huge health crisis worldwide, but still headscarves are the main topic of discussion.”

‘WE WANT TO BE KNOWN FOR OUR PROFESSIONS’

Akin said she was surprised by the fight against hijabs in France, which many around the world see as “the country of freedom and equality.”

“I really feel very sad because we’re French citizens who were brought up in France, and it’s very sad that the state ignores us and alienates us,” she explained.

“We make our contributions to this society, we have roles in social life. We don’t just want to be used in the media when there’s a problem.”

For the first time, Muslim women wearing hijabs found their voice, the right to speak out on an issue that affects them the most, something they did not have before, Akin said.

“The main idea behind the ‘don’t touch my hijab’ movement is to say ‘don’t touch my freedom, my decisions’,” she urged.

KYIV – U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with his Ukrainian counterpart in Kyiv Thursday, telling him that he was there to “reaffirm strongly” Washington‘s commitment to Ukraine‘s “sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence.”

Blinken also assured Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba that the U.S. was committed “to work with you and continue to strengthen your own democracy, building institutions, advancing your reforms against corruption.”

On the frontlines of the battle against Russia-backed separatists and in the halls of government in Kyiv, Ukrainians hold strong hopes for Thursday’s visit — increased military aid and strong support for NATO membership among them.