Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong’s comments on Palestinian statehood have been welcomed by pro-Palestine advocates, but infuriated pro-Israel groups and the opposition.
Pro-Israel groups and the federal opposition have reacted furiously to Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong’s suggestion the Albanese government could recognise Palestinian statehood, declaring such a move would reward Hamas for the October 7 terrorist attacks.while “building momentum” toward a two-state agreement with Israel in a speech in Canberra on Tuesday night.
“Any talk of recognition of Palestinian statehood in such close proximity to the 7 October attacks is entirely premature and will be seen as a reward for those attacks,” Zionist Federation of Australia President Jeremy Leibler said. Stressing that she believes Hamas has no governing role in the future of Gaza after it launched terrorist attacks that killed an estimated 1200 people on October 7, Wong said that “there’s currently an international discussion about the pathway beyond the conflict”.Wong said in her speech that it would be wrong to see recognition of Palestine as a reward for an enemy because Israel’s own security depends on a two-state solution.
The vast majority of United Nations member states already recognise Palestinian statehood, including almost every country in Africa, South America and Asia. “Australia’s recognition of Palestine would send a signal to the world – that Australia supports the consistent application of international law, that it firmly objects to apartheid Israel’s genocide, occupation and oppression of Palestinians, that it values, supports and will strive for the realisation of Palestinian rights, and that it wants to be part of a global wave of change towards a political resolution for the Palestinian people.
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