CONTENT WARNING: This article discusses war crimes and includes links to graphic, distressing footage

Standing up for human rights in the 2020s is something that moves at a glacial pace.

Back in 1972, one horrific image of anaked childrunning from a napalm attack in Vietnam inspired worldwide anti-war movements, influencingglobal public opinion and hasteningthe withdrawal of Western involvement in the Vietnam War.

Today, its not enough to see the ever-rising death toll of innocents as the bombardment of schools and hospitals continues, streamed live into our living rooms every day.

Its not enough to witness Israel opening fire on unarmed civilians, including women and children, medics and journalists, burning down hospitals, and evenburyingalive the injured with bulldozers.

Its not even enough to witness the deliberatestarvation of an entire populace as famine takes hold.

Despite the International Criminal Courtwarrantfor his arrest for war crimes,Netanyahu continues todenythefamineand Israels deliberatebombardmentof civilians, both of which are clearly evident to anyone with an internet connection.

Two years of observing all these things in our daily news cycle have not been enough to drive world leaders out of their apathy.

Protests and open letters from academics, lawyers, doctors,artists, journalists and others,decrying the genocide seemed hardly to have an effect on our politicians, who continued to echo the Zionist lobbysclaimsof antisemitism every time the Gaza genocide was mentioned.

Accusations of antisemitism are continuing in an attempt to drown out the sights and sounds of the dying Palestinians.

As the horror of thishumanitarian crisis has continued to unfold, Western leaders have been content to offer platitudes from the sidelines.

In many countries, Australia included, there have been movestosilencepeaceful protests on Gaza.

In Germany, policebrutalityagainst those who dare to protest the genocide in Gaza has become commonplace, prompting UN Special Rapporteur on the Occupied Palestinian Territories,Francesca Albanese, toposton social media:

Inexplicably, as global public opinionshifted away from sympathising with Israel and justifying its atrocities against the Palestinian people, world leaders are finally beginning to speak out, albeit tentatively.

Perhaps the UN officiallyrecognisingfamine conditions in Gaza was the final straw. Its hard to say.

But yesterdaysstatementfrom UK PM Keir Starmer, following French President Emmanuel Macronsleadearlier this week, to formally recognise a Palestinian state in September, has been welcomed by many as a positive step in the right direction.

In Australia, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has taken a step in the same direction, asreportedby ABC:

Though Albanese has not committed to a specific date for such recognition or if it will even occur,statinghe is "waiting for the right moment", this has been labelled'an historic shift'.

The PM also referred to remarks from Netanyahu, who said on Monday therewasno starvation in Gaza andIsraels Deputy Head of Mission, Amir Meron, whoclaimedthe images of starving children were false.

Albanesedescribedthe "no starvation" claims from the Israeli Prime Ministerand Israel's Canberra Embassyas being"beyond comprehension".

The PM alsotoldParliament:

Even Netanyahus BFF, Donald Trump, has begged to differ on the starvation issue,acknowledging"real starvation" and telling Israel to allowevery ounce of food into Gaza. He has also pledgedU.S. humanitarian support.

The Federal Opposition, meanwhile, appears to be sticking to its Hamas started it, so we should just let Palestinians suffer indefinitelyline.

Shadow Foreign Affairs MinisterMichaelia Casheven went as far as to blame the famine on Hamas, accusing them of stealing the humanitarian aid for their own purposes and admonishing the PM in amedia release:

Still in Aus, journalistMary Kostakidisisdefendingherselfin the Federal Courtagainst racial discrimination charges brought by theZionist Federation of Australia. The Zionist Federation isclaimingKostakidis' posting oftweets criticisingIsrael's actions in Gaza amounted to "antisemitic hatred".

This court case against a journalistis the latest in aseriesof attempts to silence those who speak out about Israel's war crimes.

And then there'sJillian Segal, whose family trust donated $50,000 to the Far-Rightanti-immigration group,Advance.Segal also released areportto combat antisemitism,straight from the right-wing lobby groupExecutive Council of Australian Jewry's 15-point plan, which includedseeking to put universities under its control.

Nonetheless, Segal is still theSpecial Envoy to Combat Antisemitism in Australia.

But after two years of standing by in silence, watching Israel's atrocities in Gaza escalate, what does it really mean to say to Palestinians, Weve decided to recognise that you exist, maybe, sometime in the future, when the death toll is rising right now?

How a right-wing lobby groups 15-point plan became government policy on antisemitism.

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Genocide is occurring in Gaza and Israel is currently a rogue state but lets be sure not to offend anyone by reporting the facts, writes managing editor Michelle Pini.