Prime Minister Anthony Albanese,meanwhile,faced a barrage of criticism from the Coalition and Greens over Labor’s position on the war in Gaza.

As Labor tries to take a nuanced line on Israel’s bloody military campaign,Opposition Leader Peter Dutton opened his question time attack on Albanese by accusing him of breaking faith with Jewish Australians bybacking greater rights for Palestine at the United Nations last week.

Albanese said he took full responsibility for the UN vote,which Dutton described as a “captain’s call” that put Australia in a more friendly stance towards Palestine than the US and UK.

Albanese argued the watered-down resolution that did not grant full membership rights to Palestine was consistent with a two-state solution,which is also Coalition policy.

“People who are vehemently opposed to that resolution include Hamas,include people who have a view that there should just be a single state,‘from the river to the sea’,as the chant goes,” Albanese said.

Greens deputy leader Mehreen Faruqi slammed Labor for its criticism of that chant and its use by student demonstrators. Her comments highlight the political dilemma as the Coalition and Greens pitch directly to voters on either side of the Gaza debate.

“You should be haunted by the slaughter of newborns,toddlers and children in Gaza,” Faruqi said of Labor while addressing the Senate.

People protesting over Israel’s war in Gazahave been camping at Australian universities,including Monash and Melbourne,for many weeks,and have called on the universities to cut ties with weapons manufacturers.

The protests have prompted counter-protests by supporters of Israel,including at Monash on Monday,and triggered a national debate aboutfree speech and discrimination on campus.

Duff said the Deakin protesters were all students from the university and were not antisemitic or calling for the abolition of Israel.

“Absolutely not. Lots of the student leaders of Students for Palestine are themselves Jewish,and we see ourselves as standing in a long line of Jewish anti-war and pro-Palestine activists,” she said.

Asked about the Monash protest,Albanese said on Tuesday that Australians had a right to protest,but the protest had to be respectful.

“For the Jewish community,suffering from increases ...[in] the rise in antisemitism,they’re going through an incredibly difficult period. And for people who have relatives in Gaza,I get that this is a distressing time as well. It’s important that there be respectful debate in this country.”

In October,Hamas’ attack on southern Israel took hostages and killed 1200 Israelis. Since then,Israel haskilled more than 35,000 Palestinians in Gaza,according to Gazan officials.

Alex Ryvchin,the co-chief executive of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry,praised Deakin University’s order and described the protests as a “nuisance,a disfigurement of campus grounds and … hubs for promoting a violent and racist ideology”.

But more than 500 Australian academics have signed a letter saying they are “proud of the students who have established peaceful encampments”.

“We are facing one of the greatest crimes of the 21st century happening right in front of us,” the academics’ letter says.

“Unsurprisingly,students around the world,including students at Australian universities,have initiated peaceful protests that have various demands relating to ending Western government support for Israel’s attack,ensuring institutional divestment from complicit companies,and calling for an end to Israel’s war crimes in Gaza.”

With Natassia Chrysanthos,Rachel Eddie

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