‘False hope': Lambie's Palestine warning
The Prime Minister is 'actively considering' recognising Palestine as a state, with a decision to come this week, a diplomatic source familiar with discussions has told NewsWire.
France, the UK and Canada have all announced plans to conditionally recognise a Palestinian state at the UN General Assembly next month.
The news of Australia's consideration comes just hours after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned that recognition would only 'bring war' – a concern that Senator Lambie shared.
'Not sure what they're hoping to accomplish out of this whole mission because the bottom line is, while you still have terrorists in your backward, nothing will change,' she told Sky News.
'There's no goodwill coming from a terrorist group, so while you're taking your eye off that situation, all you're doing is that terrorist group is rebuilding.'
The Prime Minister's Office did not refute that Mr Albanese was considering recognition and pointed to his comments in New Zealand at the weekend.
'I've said it's a matter of when, not if,' he told reporters on Saturday, alongside Kiwi counterpart Christopher Luxon.
'I think overwhelmingly Australians want to see two things.
'One is they want to see a ceasefire. They want to see the killing stop, they want to see hostages released, they want to see peace in the region.
'The second thing they want is they don't want conflict brought to Australia either.'
He said that 'for a long period of time there's been a bipartisan position in Australia of support for two states'.
'And that of course was the vision that was envisaged when in 1947 the United Nations made the decision that they did,' Mr Albanese said, referring to the creation of Israel.
'It wasn't the creation of one state, and so we'll continue to play a role.'
'Shameful'
Overnight, Mr Netnayahu blasted Australian government protests against the war in Gaza, calling them 'shameful' and saying they 'buy into' Hamas propaganda.
The Israeli leader held a press conference in English to set the record straight, as he sees it, after Western allies, including Australia, condemned his plan to occupy all of Gaza.
An Australian journalist asked Mr Netanyahu if his Western counterparts, who consistently support the Israel's right to defend itself, 'are now struggling to stomach what they're seeing you and your military doing in Gaza'.
'First of all, those who say that Israel has a right to defend itself are also saying, 'but don't exercise that right,' when we do what any country would do, faced with this genocidal terrorist organisation that has performed the worst attack on Jews since the Holocaust,' Mr Netanyahu responded.
The war in Gaza was sparked by Hamas' October 7 attacks on Israel in 2023.
Militants killed more than 1200 in the shock assault, slaughtering entire families.
Much of the violence was celebrated by perpetrators and sympathisers online.
Israel's furious response has decimated Hamas, but also killed tens of thousands of civilians in the process.
Most of the innocents killed are women, children and the elderly.
Mr Netanyahu insisted his country is 'actually applying force judiciously', adding that critics in Canberra 'know it'.
'They know what they would do if right next to Melbourne, or right next to Sydney, you had this horrific attack,' he said.
'I think you would do at least what we're doing, probbably … not as efficiently and as precisely as we're doing it.
'We've lost quite a few soldiers in that effort.'
Mr Netanyahu went on to address the global momentum for recognition of a Palestinian state.
He said the 'Jewish public is … against the Palestinian state for the simple reason that they know it won't bring peace', pointing to a recent vote in the country's parliament that overwhelmingly rejected the idea.
'It'll bring war,' Mr Netanyahu said, directly countering rhetoric put forward by the Albanese government.
'To have European countries and Australia march into that … rabbit hole just like that, fall right into it and buy, this canard is disappointing, and I think it's actually shameful.
'But it's not going to … change our position.
'Again, we will not commit national suicide to get to get a good op-ed for two minutes. We won't do that.'
Assistant Foreign Affairs Minister Matt Thistlethwaite disputed Mr Netanyahu's read of Australia's concerns.
Speaking to Sky News, he noted that 'tens of thousands of Israelis marched in the streets and protested on the weekend against their government'.
'They're saying enough is enough, that the starvation, the continued holding of hostages by Hamas, has to stop,' Mr Thistlewaite said.
'And the only way to work towards that is to work towards a ceasefire that involves the release of those hostages and takes this opportunity to permanently try to resolve this issue.'
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Chicago Tribune
25 minutes ago
- Chicago Tribune
Letters: Op-ed writer gives Hamas a pass for what's happening in Gaza
I read with great interest Seth Lavin's opinion piece 'What Israel is doing is harming Jews' (Aug. 6). As a Jew, I care very much about Israel and what happens to the Jewish people around the world. The writer is correct in that Israel must change course immediately and do much more to enable Palestinians in Gaza to eat. That's a basic human right. But he misses the larger point. Lavin mentions Israel more than 25 times in his op-ed, almost always to accuse and to blame. But he mentions Hamas only once. In doing so, he fails to mention the Oct. 7, 2023, massacre that provoked Israel's war against Hamas. And he fails to mention how Hamas continues even today to hold hostage up to 20 innocent people. I acknowledge that Israel bears some responsibility for the Gazans' current plight, while Hamas bears much more. But Lavin gives Hamas a complete pass here. That's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who faced corruption charges before Hamas' despicable 2023 hostage-taking attack, said his objectives include defeating Hamas, releasing the remaining hostages and ensuring Gaza never again threatens Israel. His retaliation has killed more than 60,000 people and continues killing through starving Palestinians, bombing hospitals and reducing Gaza to rubble. This is no longer an eye for an eye. It is the whole body and soul. Netanyahu is creating more terrorists, not eliminating op-ed by Seth Lavin is well meaning but misguided. Anti-Israel protests and celebrations of the Oct. 7, 2023, massacre by Hamas started before Israel even got its pants on. Although Oct. 7 was the most heinous of Hamas' terror attacks, it was far from the first. Hamas started wars against Israel in 2008, 2012, 2014 and 2021. Each time, Israel's military weakened Hamas' terror capacities, so-called 'mowing the lawn,' and each time Hamas used a ceasefire to regroup, arm itself to the teeth and fortify Gaza with hundreds of miles of tunnels, while planning its Oct. 7 massacre for years. Israel's leaders finally realized that half measures only kick the terror can down the road. Lavin needs to more closely examine the reason why this war gets a million times more attention than all the other wars in progress today. It's not because Israel is doing anything worse to Gazans than combatants in other wars are doing to each other. Rather, it is because Israel is the only Jewish state. People don't hate Jews because of Israel — they hate Israel because they hate Jews. Thus, Israel has two choices: Repeat the same mistakes from prior wars against Hamas, ensuring future massacres and wars, or do what it has to do and deal with public opinion later. It's better to be an unpopular live Jew than a popular dead did the war between Hamas and Israel start? Yes, it is unconscionable that the Palestinian people are being killed and their land destroyed. But what right did Hamas have to gun down innocent people with no weapons who just wanted to enjoy a concert?The Democratic National Committee must change its focus from texting us 15 to 20 times a day for donations and signatures and focus on organizing and scheduling a day of mourning. Mourning for the inhuman deportation of immigrants, the pardoning of the Jan. 6 rioters, the firing of essential government employees, the rise of the anti-vaxxers, the support of coal and gas, the defunding of public television and universities — we could go on and on. Millions of Americans are ashamed of our country and our president but are either cowed or silent about stopping the eroding of our democracy. We need help from the DNC and our elected Democrats. Organize a march like the Million Mom March of 2000, the 1963 March on Washington and the Million Man March of 1995, allowing us to demonstrate our opposition to the current government and show the world that there are decent voices in our country and hope for the future.I hope that one day the Tribune and its editorial staff will fairly acknowledge the accomplishments of the Donald Trump administration, rather than continuing their relentless criticism. Under Trump, the southern border has become more secure than ever, significantly curbing illegal immigration and reducing the flow of illegal drugs. Inflation and energy prices are under control. On the global stage, Trump has curtailed escalating conflict in the Far East and slowed Iran's nuclear ambitions. These are not minor achievements; they are substantial successes that deserve recognition, especially when contrasted with the policies and outcomes of the Joe Biden there anyone else out there who wants to be like Howard Beale in the movie 'Network' and go to a window to shout, 'I'm mad as hell, and I'm not going to take this anymore!' What am I not taking anymore: giving a convicted sex trafficker and child abuser a more cushy prison to live in; cutting millions of dollars from vaccine and other scientific research by a nonmedical person; cutting millions from food pantries while spending millions on renovating a White House ballroom; allowing Immigration and Customs Enforcement to grab up people to take them to God's knows where; and so much more. I am ready to go to my window. How about you?I was both astounded and appalled to learn that 500 of food, earmarked for starving children and their families by the U.S. Agency for International Development, has been incinerated, reportedly due to the fact the biscuits were about to expire. I understand that federal workers had warned the administration for months that these biscuits would go to waste if not sent to the people for whom they were earmarked. In addition, warnings were provided to the administration of the ongoing effects of malnutrition, malaria and a possible polio outbreak due to the elimination of USAID. Marco Rubio was the acting administrator of USAID during this time. The fact that the potentially lifesaving food was destroyed appears to be due to incompetence, a lack of prioritization or worst of all — cruelty. The administration reportedly also has plans to incinerate potentially lifesaving contraceptives instead of delivering them to impoverished women overseas. While acknowledging that people have different beliefs, wasting vital resources that had already been purchased and were awaiting distribution, makes no sense and has caused unnecessary suffering to some of the most vulnerable people in our world. I would hope the people of the USA do not turn a blind eye to these horrific decisions by our government.
USA Today
25 minutes ago
- USA Today
Our tax dollars fund Israel's genocide in Gaza. Every American should care.
'It's all very complicated, and I'm not an expert, but I'm not sure any country can help to the capacity it should and could.' For nearly two years, the world has watched the decades-old conflict between Israel and Palestine evolve into an increasingly brutal war. Hamas-led militants killed more than 1,200 people – mostly civilians – on Oct. 7, 2023, and took 251 hostage – including Americans. Today, 50 hostages remain captive in Gaza, though Israel believes only 20 of them are alive. More than 60,000 Palestinians have been killed since the fighting erupted, according to Gaza's Health Ministry, part of the Hamas-run government. More than 145,000 have been wounded and 90% of the population has been displaced. Half of those killed and injured are women and children, the ministry says. Those who've managed to live through the war are facing new threats to their survival: Starvation has swept through Gaza, with half a million people affected by famine-like conditions, according to the World Food Program. Polluted aquifers and broken pipelines leave safe drinking water scarce. Since May, more than 1,000 Palestinians have been killed trying to access food. On July 28, two Israeli human rights groups released statements saying the country was committing genocide in Gaza, echoing declarations previously made by Amnesty International and a United Nations special committee. On Aug. 8, Israel approved a plan for the Israel Defense Forces to take control of Gaza City. Twenty-two months ago, that October day lit aflame deeply rooted hostilities, igniting new tensions in neighboring countries and across oceans: On college campuses, in public streets and on social media platforms. It's a war that has divided families, friends and even the Republican and Democratic parties. USA TODAY columnists and contributors have covered this issue from many sides – including inside and outside of Gaza itself. But we hadn't heard from you, until now. We wanted to know your opinions. For our next installment of Forum, we asked: Are you concerned about the developing situation in Gaza? Should the U.S. send more aid to Gaza? To Israel? Is the news media's coverage getting it right or wrong? What could finally end this conflict? Here's what you said. I've seen Israelis and Palestinians coexist. It's the only thing that gives me hope. I want to be clear that I am pro-peace. I lived in Israel for many years, and I saw coexistence every single day. I lived it. It might be the only reason I have any hope left. On any public bus, you might see a soldier standing next to a woman in a hijab next to a Hasidic man next to a guy with a mohawk next to a Druze family. And thousands of Israelis have been protesting the government for years, before Oct. 7, 2023. The difference is that they have the freedom to do so without fear or repercussion. Gazans do not have that same luxury. Openly protesting Hamas means death or worse. And yet many of them have, because they have nothing more to lose. Which is why it's disgusting and sad that news coverage has been minuscule, and people in the West, most of them the descendants of colonizers themselves, feel the need to call Hamas "resistance fighters" and advocate for the destruction of a country they can't even find on a map. What about the hostages, who are also starving? What about how Hamas has weaponized starvation and does not care for its people? What about how Hamas has looted aid and funneled donations to line the pockets of their own leaders? The United States should do more to help dismantle Hamas, in addition to criticizing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and actively trying to end this war. The United States should focus on supporting peace-building coalitions, accountability and support for Israel's population (which includes Israeli Arabs, who make up about 20% of the population) – but also help the Palestinians in finding a path forward without Hamas or Islamic jihad or similar leadership. There is not enough focus on the day after the war, especially when it comes to dismantling Hamas, reeducation and supporting efforts to pivot Netanyahu's right-wing government, which is adding fuel to the fire. The United States should do more to combat antisemitism, which has skyrocketed here and globally. Antisemitism has risen globally by 340% since the start of this war, and it's no coincidence. We need help combating false narratives that restrict empathy. This is a national concern as well as a global one that does not help either Israelis or Palestinians, or Jews across the world. I think there should be a Palestinian state at some point, but it should not be created as a knee-jerk reaction to this terrible war. If anything, this should give everyone pause. It will take years of peace-building coalitions and mapping out a sustainable plan to actually make this work. I'm a father in Gaza. My children wake in the middle of the night crying for food. | Opinion Another view: Western nations want a Palestinian state. But Arab nations keep their distance. | Opinion Celebrities are nothing but armchair activists who are also responsible for spreading misinformation and false narratives. They add fuel to the fire, and their commentary actually leads to violence and sows division. There is blatant skewing of the narrative, including reporting Hamas figures as facts when many of the numbers of the dead include combatants. Everyone blames Israel and seems to cast Hamas in the light of "resistance" and "freedom fighters" even when they are the ones responsible for the violence, sexual assault, torture and kidnapping that have defined this war. Why has no one reported on the protests in Gaza against Hamas, which killed and tortured Gaza civilians for protesting? Why has no one focused on the plight of the remaining hostages who are also starving? Why has no one highlighted where Hamas leaders have been – safe in Qatar and other countries? — Elle Brooke, West Bloomfield, Michigan Our tax dollars are funding a genocide. Every American should care about that. The United States is aiding Israel in committing genocide. Through the U.S. support, Israel is starving hundreds of thousands of families. America has criticized organizations doing real work and feeding people. It has instead supported an organization, Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, whose 'distribution sites' saw the slaughtering of Palestinian families with the aid of mercenaries and the genocidal Israel Defense Forces. Cracking down on public criticism of Israel and support of Gaza under the false guise of addressing antisemitism has made a mockery of actual antisemitism. President Donald Trump is using it as a false way to challenge universities and shut down free speech in the name of addressing antisemitism, but truthfully, he is just engaging in fascism. The United States must recognize a Palestinian state – and with recognition there needs to be an end to the occupation, the right to return and justice for the people of Palestine and the thousands of Palestinians harmed, killed and starved. Every person should care about genocide. Everyone – celebrity, politician and everyday person – should care about genocide. Every one of us must speak up and take action immediately. Because, as U.S. taxpayers, our dollars go to supporting Israel, we should get a say in how those dollars are used. — Ella Mendonsa, Washington, DC I feel for innocent Palestinians. But as a Jew, I know we can't have a two-state solution. It's all very complicated, and I'm not an expert, but if you have Hamas intentionally preventing aid from getting to the population in order to prolong their own lies, I'm not sure any country can help to the capacity that it should and could. I'm not a Trump supporter at all, but at least he has taken steps to show that, as a democracy, we support democracy. Israel is the only country in the Middle East that is a democracy. So I think the Trump administration's support of Israel is refreshing compared with prior ones. What can anyone do when Iranian-backed, Hamas-linked organizations fill the news with grotesque lies and omissions of the truth? This is not about the innocent Palestinians, many of whom are afraid of Hamas. This is about Hamas using its own population for propaganda. Don't get me wrong. I care and feel for the Palestinians suffering. But as a Jew, I have to care about the fact that the entire raison d'être and mantra of Hamas is to kill all Jews and destroy the land of Israel. There is no longer a chance for a two-state solution. Israel has tried over and over to offer paths to this and to show that we can live peacefully with Arabs and Palestinians. We cannot offer this in the face of a Hamas-led government that specifically and openly states that its members would like to see Israel wiped off the map. How could Israel trust them when they savagely killed people who lived near the border and who were reaching out across the border and helping Palestinians? It's fair to say innocent people are suffering, but the news media is biased toward the Palestinian plight as opposed to showing that Israel has tried numerous times to make peace, only to have its own people suffer. Would you tear down a barrier in your backyard if you knew your neighbors would do anything to break in to your house and try to kill you? Honestly. Israel has never gone to war with any country out of hatred for human beings or religion. It's always on the defensive, and in the end, it's always blamed. But let's not forget that the Jewish people have endured thousands of years of antisemitism from every corner of the earth, and we're still standing. — Deena Thomas, Memphis, Tennessee We've given billions to fund this war. It's time Trump leverages it for peace. We give billions in military aid to Israel every year, some of which was used for good purposes against Iran, but also at least some of which was used to cause this starvation crisis. It seems like the least we could do would be to help save the lives of civilians there. The Biden administration launched the first national strategy to combat antisemitism. But now Trump is just using antisemitism as an excuse to go after his political enemies on issues like immigration and diversity, equity and inclusion. I know that many people on both sides complain about the media attention, but the fact is that billions of American taxpayer dollars are involved here, so it's fully legitimate for the media to be focusing on this. The two-state solution is the least impossible of all the impossible options to end this conflict. And we could be doing much more to support the Israelis, especially the hostage families, protesting against Netanyahu's disastrous policies. Just a week ago, an organization of retired Israeli generals called for an end to the war. We should applaud France and Saudi Arabia for seeking to advance the two-state solution and for persuading the entire Arab League to condemn Hamas as it did last week. — Matthew Weinstein, Baltimore
New York Times
26 minutes ago
- New York Times
Days After Pledging a New Attack in Gaza, Israel's Plan Is Still Unclear
Since its announcement on Friday, Israel's plan to capture Gaza City has been roundly criticized inside and outside Israel. Palestinians and foreign leaders say the plan will prolong the war and the suffering of Palestinian civilians. The Israeli left says it will likely endanger hostages still held by Hamas. The Israeli right says it will not do enough to defeat Hamas. Now, a new criticism is emerging within Israel: There is little clarity over what exactly this operation will involve. While there have been vague proclamations by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel's military has yet to complete the tactical battle plan. There has been no public confirmation of how long any occupation of the city will last — or when it will begin, and how it will differ from Israel's capture of Gaza City in the opening months of the war in 2023. Intense Israeli strikes continued overnight into Monday, killing several Al Jazeera journalists and forcing the displacement of civilians in some Gaza City neighborhoods. But the Army has not yet mobilized the tens of thousands of military reservists who will most likely be needed to staff the broader operation. And while Israel has threatened to force out the hundreds of thousands of Palestinians still living in Gaza City, it has yet to order their expulsion. Over the weekend, Mr. Netanyahu doubled down on the threat to capture Gaza City, saying at a press briefing that Israel had 'no choice' but to proceed because Hamas had yet to surrender. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
