'Not if, but when' we recognise Palestine
On home soil, political attention has been dominated by the upcoming productivity roundtable in August, with unions focusing their aim on the impact of AI on worker rights; and despite a lobby effort from "Big Wiggle", YouTube has been added to the social media ban mix.
Patricia Karvelas and Fran Kelly are joined by Phil Coorey, Political Editor with the Australian Financial Review on The Party Room.
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SBS Australia
27 minutes ago
- SBS Australia
'No Palestine left to recognise' unless world works together on two-state solution, Wong says
Australia is one step closer to recognising Palestinian statehood and is coordinating with other nations on the issue, as the foreign minister warns there might soon be "no Palestine left". Although the federal government has said statehood is a matter of "when, not if", it has been hesitant to set a timeline, with the prime minister previously saying any UN resolution would need to guarantee the designated terror group Hamas played no role in the future nation. 'Unique opportunity' to isolate Hamas On Tuesday, Foreign Minister Penny Wong revealed Australia is working with other countries on recognition to ensure its concerns are met. "We understand the urgency, we also understand the importance of having impact, we are obviously discussing and co-ordinating these issues with many countries," she told Nine's Today show on Tuesday. "Everybody understands that there is a risk that there will be no Palestine left to recognise unless the international community work together towards two states. "We want to ensure work with others to ensure that Hamas has no role in a future Palestinian state, and we do have a unique opportunity at this time with the international community to isolate Hamas." Prime Minister Anthony Albanese spoke with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas on Tuesday morning, when he reiterated Australia's commitment to a two-state solution in the Middle East that would allow Israel and a Palestinian state to co-exist. He also stressed the need for the immediate delivery of aid to Gaza, a permanent ceasefire and the release of all hostages. Abbas thanked Australia for its economic and humanitarian support for Gaza and agreed to meet on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly meeting starting on 9 September. More than 140 of the 193 UN member states already recognise the Palestinian state, including European Union member states Spain and Ireland. Australia on Monday also committed another $20 million to humanitarian aid for Gaza, as UN sources found more than two million people in the enclave were facing high levels of food insecurity. Israel has bombarded Gaza since Hamas' October 7 attack in 2023, in which more than 1,200 people, including an estimated 30 children, were killed and over 200 hostages taken, according to the Israeli government. More than 60,430 people have been killed in Gaza since October 7, according to the health ministry in Gaza. The October 7 attack was a significant escalation in the long-standing conflict between Israel and Hamas. The Australian government has taken issue with the Israeli position. "We believe it is a breach of international law to stop food being delivered, which is the decision Israel made in March," Wong told ABC Radio. Pro-Palestinian Australians have called on the government to impose sanctions on Israel similar to those placed on Myanmar and Russia. Wong noted Australia had sanctioned persons for human rights abuses against Palestinians. The government would not speculate on sanctions "for the obvious reason they have more effect if they are not flagged". The Coalition has reiterated its support for a two-state solution, but Liberal MP Julian Leeser said recognition can only come "at the end of a process". "It's wrong that we're putting recognition on the table at this point because it removes pressure on Hamas, and I think it sends a bad signal to other areas of conflict," he told ABC Radio. "It's very important that we do nothing that encourages Hamas in its activities."
News.com.au
2 hours ago
- News.com.au
PM restates support for two-state solution in call with Palestinian leader
Anthony Albanese has restated Australia's support for a two-state solution in a phone call with Palestinian Authority president Mahmoud Abbas. The call comes amid mounting pressure on the Prime Minister to recognise a Palestinian state at the UN General Assembly (UNGA) next month. France, the UK and Canada have all conditionally said that they would. Mr Albanese has neither committed to nor ruled out doing so. 'Prime Minister Albanese reiterated Australia's call for the immediate entry of aid to meet the needs of the people of Gaza, a permanent ceasefire, and the release of all hostages,' according to a readout of a call with Mr Abbas. 'Prime Minister Albanese also reinforced Australia's commitment to a two-state solution because a just and lasting peace depends upon it. 'President Abbas thanked Prime Minister Albanese for Australia's economic and humanitarian support. 'The leaders discussed deepening co-operation across a range of areas and agreed to meet on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly.' France was the first major Western country to say it would recognise a Palestinian state at the UNGA. It did so condemning Hamas' October 7 attacks on Israel in 2023 and saying the Palestinian Islamist group cannot play a role in Gaza. The UK took a similar line, though its pledge to recognise Palestinian statehood was more of a threat to the Israeli government. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said he would go ahead with recognition if Israel did not loosen its chokehold on aid flowing into Gaza, where the death toll from starvation has climbed to nearly 200, according to local health officials. Foreign Minister Penny Wong on Tuesday repeated the Albanese government's condemnation of Hamas and said there was an 'unique opportunity in the international community to isolate and diminish' it while giving life to a Palestinian state. 'Hamas is a terrorist organisation. We consistently condemn them. We have multiple sanctions on them,' she told the ABC. 'When you look at what the Palestinian Authority and the Arab countries have said, condemning Hamas and committing to Hamas having no role in the future of the governance of Gaza.' Senator Wong went on to say the 'best way to ensure peace and stability in the Middle East is for there to be two states'. 'And the reason for … the urgency behind this is that there is a risk that there will be no Palestine left to recognise if the world does not act.'
Sky News AU
2 hours ago
- Sky News AU
Anthony Albanese restates support for two-state solution in call with Palestinian leader
Anthony Albanese has restated Australia's support for a two-state solution in a phone call with Palestinian Authority president Mahmoud Abbas. The call comes amid mounting pressure on the Prime Minister to recognise a Palestinian state at the UN General Assembly (UNGA) next month. France, the UK and Canada have all conditionally said that they would. Mr Albanese has neither committed to nor ruled out doing so. 'Prime Minister Albanese reiterated Australia's call for the immediate entry of aid to meet the needs of the people of Gaza, a permanent ceasefire, and the release of all hostages,' according to a readout of a call with Mr Abbas. 'Prime Minister Albanese also reinforced Australia's commitment to a two-state solution because a just and lasting peace depends upon it. 'President Abbas thanked Prime Minister Albanese for Australia's economic and humanitarian support. 'The leaders discussed deepening co-operation across a range of areas and agreed to meet on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly.' France was the first major Western country to say it would recognise a Palestinian state at the UNGA. It did so condemning Hamas' October 7 attacks on Israel in 2023 and saying the Palestinian Islamist group cannot play a role in Gaza. The UK took a similar line, though its pledge to recognise Palestinian statehood was more of a threat to the Israeli government. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said he would go ahead with recognition if Israel did not loosen its chokehold on aid flowing into Gaza, where the death toll from starvation has climbed to nearly 200, according to local health officials. Foreign Minister Penny Wong on Tuesday repeated the Albanese government's condemnation of Hamas and said there was an 'unique opportunity in the international community to isolate and diminish' it while giving life to a Palestinian state. 'Hamas is a terrorist organisation. We consistently condemn them. We have multiple sanctions on them,' she told the ABC. 'When you look at what the Palestinian Authority and the Arab countries have said, condemning Hamas and committing to Hamas having no role in the future of the governance of Gaza.' Senator Wong went on to say the 'best way to ensure peace and stability in the Middle East is for there to be two states'. 'And the reason for … the urgency behind this is that there is a risk that there will be no Palestine left to recognise if the world does not act.' Originally published as PM restates support for two-state solution in call with Palestinian leader
