Allies remember Pacific War 80 years on
War games brought it down under – now allies are beginning to mark the 80th anniversary of Victory in the Pacific.
All as the government awaits news confirming Washington will still sell Australia at least three Virginia-class attack submarines needed for the navy.
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Sky News AU
2 hours ago
- Sky News AU
Labor Minister confirms Anthony Albanese attempting to make contact with Benjamin Netanyahu after massive pro-Palestine march
Shadow Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Matt Thistlewaite has said Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is chasing a phone call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The Prime Minister is considering a potential shift in foreign policy, following in the footsteps of the UK, France, and Canada, with September's UN General Assembly a possible timeframe for Australia to formally recognise a Palestinian state. Mr Thistlewaite told Sky News the PM was seeking to urgently make contact with Mr Netanyahu to convey the Australian government's position on the ongoing conflict in Gaza. 'A phone call is being pursued,' Mr Thistlewaite told Sky News on Monday. 'Anthony Albanese is willing to speak with Benjamin Netanyahu to make sure the views of the Australian government and the Australian people are clear to the Israeli government. Despite Mr Netanyahu publicly hitting out at the Australian government's for its handling of the antisemitism crisis sweeping the nation Mr Thistlewaite defended the government's position and said it was considering implementing a wide host of recommendations made by antisemitism special envoy Jillian Segal. 'We have certainly acted to combat antisemitism here in Australia and have taken a number of measures including commissioning Jillian Segal's report, and we are working through those recommendations," Mr Thistlethwaite said. The Prime Minister confirmed he was chasing a phone call with Mr Netanyahu on Monday. Mr Albanese told reporters his Israeli counterpart had acted inconsistent with a "two state solution" reiterating his government had been "critical of some of the actions of Israel in particular". "My message would be the same privately as it has been in the past as the public message and privately I said to Prime Minister Netanyahu before as I have said publicly for a long period of time that I am a supporter of a two state solution and there cannot be peace and security in the Middle East without there being an advance on the two state solution," Mr Albanese said. On Monday the federal government pledged an extra $20 million in aid to Gaza, and urged the Israeli government to allow 'unimpeded' access for the humanitarian materials to enter the war torn strip. The additional funding is aimed at supporting organisations that have 'the scale and capacity to respond quickly to deliver food, medical supplies for field hospitals and other lifesaving support to women and children in Gaza". 'This $20 million is going to organisations to provide food relief, medical supplies and field hospitals, shared evenly across the Red Cross, UNICEF, the UN world food program and Jordanian Hashmemite charity,' Mr Thistlethwaite said. He said that the United Nations embattled Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees was not among the organisations receiving aid from the government. Mr Thistlethwaite also condemned images of people displaying photos of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei at the pro-Palestine protests over the weekend and labelled it 'provocative.' The Assistant Minister said the release of a video by Hamas of an Israeli hostage digging his own grave in Gaza's vast underground tunnel network was 'sickening' and reiterated that the terrorist group could not be involved in the future governance of a Palestinian state. 'It's sickening and it's shocking, and I think that's the reason why we haven't declared a Palestinian statehood because we believe Hamas cannot be involved in the management of a Palestinian state, this is a terrorist organisation and that showed true in that sickening video that was posted on the weekend," he said. 'That's why we have said Hamas cannot be involved; we want to see two states existing side by side in peace but if you are going to get a lasting peace you can't have an organisation like that involved.'
Sky News AU
3 hours ago
- Sky News AU
Allies remember Pacific War 80 years on
With the enormous Ohio-class guided missile submarine in Brisbane, Sky News' Investigations Reporter Jonathan Lea has taken a deeper look at the reason for its visit. War games brought it down under – now allies are beginning to mark the 80th anniversary of Victory in the Pacific. All as the government awaits news confirming Washington will still sell Australia at least three Virginia-class attack submarines needed for the navy.
Sydney Morning Herald
4 hours ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
Albanese seeks call with Netanyahu following Sydney, Melbourne protests
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is pursuing a phone call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu after 90,000 people marched across the Sydney Harbour Bridge calling for an end to the war in Gaza and as pressure builds within Labor ranks for recognition of Palestinian statehood. Assistant Minister for Immigration Matt Thistlethwaite confirmed on Monday the call was being pursued, as Labor politicians backed the peaceful protest organised by the Palestine Action Group with at least three members of the federal caucus in attendance. Backbenchers Ed Husic, Alison Byrnes and Tony Sheldon marched with protesters on Sunday, putting further pressure on Albanese to recognise Palestine. Thistlethwaite condemned any forms of antisemitism or pro-Iran sentiments at the protest, telling Sky News people holding images of Iran's supreme leader Ali Khamenei was wrong. Loading 'A phone call [with Netanyahu] is being pursued. I don't believe that people should have been displaying photos of the Ayatollah Khamenei. I think that's provocative,' he said. 'Nonetheless, Australians have the right to protest and, as long as you do it peacefully and in accordance with the law, which is what occurred on the weekend, then every Australian has the right to protest.' The government has repeatedly said that recognition of a Palestinian state is a matter of timing. Allies in France, Canada and the United Kingdom have all laid the groundwork to recognise the state at the next United Nations General Assembly in September. Husic told ABC Radio National he hoped the government would immediately recognise a Palestinian state, arguing the protest sent a signal to Albanese that people want further action.
