Albanese under pressure to recognise Palestinian statehood
The Prime Minister on Friday issued his most firm statement yet on the conflict in the Palestinian enclave, amid growing international concerns of a starvation crisis in the Gaza Strip.
Mr Albanese called on Israel to "comply immediately with its obligations under international law" as Gaza is "in the grip of a humanitarian catastrophe".
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Sydney Morning Herald
an hour ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
Starmer's linking ceasefire to statehood is risky business
Edging closer towards recognising Palestine, Australia has astutely not joined the United Kingdom in linking a two-state solution in the Middle East to a ceasefire and an increase in the flow of humanitarian assistance to Gaza. However, in a joint statement with 14 countries, Australia on Wednesday demanded a ceasefire, reiterated an 'unwavering commitment to the vision of the two-state solution' and condemned Hamas' attacks while welcoming a series of commitments by the Palestinian Authority which could pave the way to recognition. It followed British Prime Minister Keir Starmer's sharp policy shift announcing the UK would recognise a Palestinian state next September at the United Nations unless Israel moved to secure a ceasefire, increase aid and agreed not to annex the occupied West Bank, adding that Hamas must release hostages, sign up to a ceasefire and accept it will have no role in governing Gaza. Starmer's caveats are well-intentioned bids to give Israel an incentive to act and are part of a broader European effort to end the almost two-year conflict between Israel and Hamas. The British move is also symbolically significant, given Whitehall played a central role in the creation of the state of Israel in 1917 when it supported a national home for the Jewish people in what was then Palestine. But using threats against Israel and conflating the two-state solution with a ceasefire risks muddying an already dirty conflict while boosting the aspirations of a terrorist group and further hardening Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's resolve. 'Starmer rewards Hamas' monstrous terrorism and punishes its victims,' Netanyahu immediately posted on social media. Loading The British change of heart illustrates how quickly sentiment about the war has changed across the world since October 2023, when global sympathy went out to Israel. But it has clearly leached away since, and in recent days footage of children dying from starvation, reports of famine in Gaza and the UN confirming 60,000 Gazans had now been killed in the war have crystallised opposition to the war. Israel maintains starvation has not occurred in Gaza, but Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Starmer and US President Donald Trump have publicly begged to differ. Through pugnacious intransigence, Israel has allowed war in Gaza to drag on without resolution and handed the higher moral ground, not to Hamas, but rather the people of Palestine. Ironically, in doing so it has given the notion of Palestinian statehood a huge leg up. The other alternative, the Netanyahu- endorsed proposal by Trump to relocate Palestinians from Gaza and turn the war-ravaged coastal enclave into a luxury waterfront development, is a transactional fantasy that has only garnered international condemnation and raised concerns about the flood of refugees flowing from such a brutal real estate deal.
Sydney Morning Herald
an hour ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
‘Moral obligation': Top Jewish group calls for Israel to allow more aid into Gaza
One of the country's top Jewish organisations has argued Israel has a moral obligation to ensure the flow of sufficient aid into Gaza, saying it is deeply troubled by the suffering of innocent Palestinian civilians. The statement by the Zionist Federation of Australia – the peak body for Zionist organisations and activity in Australia – contrasts with the Israeli embassy in Canberra's claim on Monday that there is no starvation in Gaza. It also represents the most direct call from the nation's main pro-Israel groups for more to be done to ensure that enough food and other essential supplies are delivered to Gazan civilians. Zionist Federation President Jeremy Leibler said the organisation continues to stand 'shoulder to shoulder with the state of Israel, as its people fight a just war to secure the removal of Hamas from power and the return of the hostages.' 'Our humanity also compels us to recognise the pain and suffering of innocent civilians in Gaza,' Leibler said. 'We are deeply troubled by the reports of hunger in parts of Gaza.' In a statement intended to convey the growing distress in much of the nation's Jewish community about images of starving Palestinian children and lengthy food queues in Gaza, he continued: 'We call upon Israel, the United Nations and their counterparts to do everything within their power to ensure that sufficient humanitarian aid flows to Palestinian civilians without delay. 'That is their collective moral obligation.'
The Age
an hour ago
- The Age
‘Moral obligation': Top Jewish group calls for Israel to allow more aid into Gaza
One of the country's top Jewish organisations has argued Israel has a moral obligation to ensure the flow of sufficient aid into Gaza, saying it is deeply troubled by the suffering of innocent Palestinian civilians. The statement by the Zionist Federation of Australia – the peak body for Zionist organisations and activity in Australia – contrasts with the Israeli embassy in Canberra's claim on Monday that there is no starvation in Gaza. It also represents the most direct call from the nation's main pro-Israel groups for more to be done to ensure that enough food and other essential supplies are delivered to Gazan civilians. Zionist Federation President Jeremy Leibler said the organisation continues to stand 'shoulder to shoulder with the state of Israel, as its people fight a just war to secure the removal of Hamas from power and the return of the hostages.' 'Our humanity also compels us to recognise the pain and suffering of innocent civilians in Gaza,' Leibler said. 'We are deeply troubled by the reports of hunger in parts of Gaza.' In a statement intended to convey the growing distress in much of the nation's Jewish community about images of starving Palestinian children and lengthy food queues in Gaza, he continued: 'We call upon Israel, the United Nations and their counterparts to do everything within their power to ensure that sufficient humanitarian aid flows to Palestinian civilians without delay. 'That is their collective moral obligation.'
