I really don't know why parliamentarians are bickering about Israel/Palestine. Spending hours on the parliament floor fighting about it does nothing for Australia, you know, the country and the people you were elected to represent.
And? Politicians ignore their constituents all the time on issues they very much have control over.
Very convenient that parliament time is being chewed up on this. It very much looks like you are doing something, full well knowing you have no power to have any effect over the outcome and you'll never have to be held to account for anything. Yes Greens I'm looking at you and some of your silly outlandish statements.
It's the perfect noisy issue to distract the Australian population from issues politicians could take an interest in but choose not to.
At best, the issue takes up way too much time in parliament relative to the involvement we have in it and the amount of control we can exert.
We are already providing Palestine circa 30 million in aid this year, as well as calling for a two state solution. But even the most strident have to recognize at some point that no matter what Australia does if these two groups want to fight they will continue to do so regardless.
As for the constituents who feel strongly about it, if they really want to make an impact then by all means travel to Palestine as an aid worker, or protest in front of the Knesset.
I actually agree with a lot of your comment. We as a country are almost completely irrelevant to the actual issue. If people want to get het up about it, go the relevant piece of geography and protest there where it might do some good. Here, they do the whole performance of ideology without risk to themselves. God forbid that they should actually, shock horror, put themselves in danger.