Latest news with #Husic
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
'Moral momentum' to recognise Palestine after UK move
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is being urged to help build "moral momentum" to recognise a Palestinian state and end starvation in Gaza. The United Kingdom government released a statement overnight announcing it was prepared to join France in recognising Palestinian statehood in September. My statement on the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and our plan for peace including the recognition of a Palestinian State. — Keir Starmer (@Keir_Starmer) July 29, 2025 Australia could increase that momentum to help innocent civilians caught up in Israel's war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip, federal Labor MP Ed Husic said. "There is a moral momentum now that we are all witnessing," he told reporters on Wednesday. "Australia can lend its great weight to that momentum in making the decision to recognise." Mr Husic, who was the first Muslim federal minister before being moved to the backbench after the May election, has led a caucus push to pressure the prime minister to recognise Palestine. Mr Albanese has in recent days stepped up his criticism of Israel for denying food to Gazans, leading to what aid agencies say is a humanitarian crisis, with the UN saying on X "the worst-case scenario of famine is now unfolding in Gaza". On Tuesday, Mr Albanese said it was "beyond comprehension" that Israel could claim there was no starvation in Gaza. But he would not commit to recognising Palestine while it remained under the de facto leadership of Hamas, which is listed as a terrorist organisation by Australia. The worst-case scenario of famine is now unfolding in starvation, malnutrition & disease are driving a rise in hunger-related deaths amid relentless conflict, mass displacement & severely restricted humanitarian via @theIPCinfo — United Nations (@UN) July 29, 2025 Mr Husic said he understood the prime minister's position but said the government could still join the international push to recognise Gaza without legitimising Hamas. "We can still maintain that we have conditions that we believe need to be satisfied, not the least of which is the build up of democratic institutions within the state of Palestine, the demilitarisation of Hamas, for example," he said. "But we can flag our preparedness to join with both France and the UK, to signal our commitment to recognise Palestine." Two more developments in the past 24 hours also added to the urgency for Australia to act, Mr Husic said. Gaza's health ministry says 60,000 people have been killed by Israel since October 7, while a number of Israeli human rights groups have called Israel's offensive in Gaza a genocide. Australia joined 14 other countries, including France, the UK and Canada in a statement backing the recognition of Palestine "as an essential step towards the two-state solution and invite all countries that have not done so to join this call". It comes ahead of a leader's level meeting during the 80th United Nations General Assembly scheduled for September, where Palestinian statehood is set to be a major topic of discussion. The statement, signed by the 15 foreign ministers, also condemned terrorist group Hamas for its attack against Israel on October 7, 2023 and called for the release of all hostages and an immediate ceasefire. It also called for further humanitarian aid as people starve to death in Gaza as Israel chokes food and medical supplies entering the besieged strip to put pressure on Hamas. The foreign ministers added they "express grave concern over the high number of civilian casualties and humanitarian situation in Gaza". They further welcomed reform within the Palestinian Authority, which Australia has said needs to undergo significant reform as part of the process for recognition and a two-state solution, because Hamas could play no role in governing the strip. This included a commitment by the authority's president to schooling reform and to hold elections within a year, as well as accepting the principle of a demilitarised Palestinian state. Opposition frontbencher James Paterson would not say whether he thought a starvation crisis was occurring in Gaza but said reports of starvation were "certainly credible". "I'm not in a position to independently assess the evidence that's coming out of Gaza. I'm not there on the ground," he told ABC Radio National. "While we can all observe the very serious humanitarian situation, we should be careful not to endorse claims that are made by Hamas." Israel says Hamas is to blame for food not getting into Gaza and contests Gazan health officials' casualty figures.
Perth Now
an hour ago
- Politics
- Perth Now
'Moral momentum' to recognise Palestine after UK move
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is being urged to help build "moral momentum" to recognise a Palestinian state and end starvation in Gaza. The United Kingdom government released a statement overnight announcing it was prepared to join France in recognising Palestinian statehood in September. Australia could increase that momentum to help innocent civilians caught up in Israel's war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip, federal Labor MP Ed Husic said. "There is a moral momentum now that we are all witnessing," he told reporters on Wednesday. "Australia can lend its great weight to that momentum in making the decision to recognise." Mr Husic, who was the first Muslim federal minister before being moved to the backbench after the May election, has led a caucus push to pressure the prime minister to recognise Palestine. Mr Albanese has in recent days stepped up his criticism of Israel for denying food to Gazans, leading to what aid agencies say is a humanitarian crisis, with the UN saying on X "the worst-case scenario of famine is now unfolding in Gaza". On Tuesday, Mr Albanese said it was "beyond comprehension" that Israel could claim there was no starvation in Gaza. But he would not commit to recognising Palestine while it remained under the de facto leadership of Hamas, which is listed as a terrorist organisation by Australia. Mr Husic said he understood the prime minister's position but said the government could still join the international push to recognise Gaza without legitimising Hamas. "We can still maintain that we have conditions that we believe need to be satisfied, not the least of which is the build up of democratic institutions within the state of Palestine, the demilitarisation of Hamas, for example," he said. "But we can flag our preparedness to join with both France and the UK, to signal our commitment to recognise Palestine." Two more developments in the past 24 hours also added to the urgency for Australia to act, Mr Husic said. Gaza's health ministry says 60,000 people have been killed by Israel since October 7, while a number of Israeli human rights groups have called Israel's offensive in Gaza a genocide. Australia joined 14 other countries, including France, the UK and Canada in a statement backing the recognition of Palestine "as an essential step towards the two-state solution and invite all countries that have not done so to join this call". It comes ahead of a leader's level meeting during the 80th United Nations General Assembly scheduled for September, where Palestinian statehood is set to be a major topic of discussion. The statement, signed by the 15 foreign ministers, also condemned terrorist group Hamas for its attack against Israel on October 7, 2023 and called for the release of all hostages and an immediate ceasefire. It also called for further humanitarian aid as people starve to death in Gaza as Israel chokes food and medical supplies entering the besieged strip to put pressure on Hamas. The foreign ministers added they "express grave concern over the high number of civilian casualties and humanitarian situation in Gaza". They further welcomed reform within the Palestinian Authority, which Australia has said needs to undergo significant reform as part of the process for recognition and a two-state solution, because Hamas could play no role in governing the strip. This included a commitment by the authority's president to schooling reform and to hold elections within a year, as well as accepting the principle of a demilitarised Palestinian state. Opposition frontbencher James Paterson would not say whether he thought a starvation crisis was occurring in Gaza but said reports of starvation were "certainly credible". "I'm not in a position to independently assess the evidence that's coming out of Gaza. I'm not there on the ground," he told ABC Radio National. "While we can all observe the very serious humanitarian situation, we should be careful not to endorse claims that are made by Hamas." Israel says Hamas is to blame for food not getting into Gaza and contests Gazan health officials' casualty figures.
Sky News AU
21 hours ago
- Politics
- Sky News AU
'How long is it going to take?' Demoted Labor backbencher Ed Husic grills Anthony Albanese on Labor recognising Palestinian state
A Labor backbencher has questioned Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's timeline for recognising Palestinian statehood during a meeting of the caucus in Canberra. Sky News understands Ed Husic, who was dumped from the ministry shortly after the election, took to his feet during Labor's caucus meeting on Tuesday morning to ask the Prime Minister 'how long is it going to take?' to formally recognise a Palestinian state. Raising the matter in the caucus room indicates rising internal pressure on the Albanese government to consider fast-tracking Palestinian recognition, rather than waiting until later in the peace process. In response to Mr Husic's question, Mr Albanese referred the caucus to his comments in Question Time on Monday, in which he noted 'recognition of a Palestinian state by Australia might occur before the finalisation of a peace process'. The Prime Minister told caucus there needs to be 'democratisation' in Gaza, also referencing the 'abominable actions' of Hamas. He cited a quote often attributed to Nelson Mandela, noting that 'things may seem impossible until they happen'. About 147 countries already recognise Palestinian independence. Later this year, French President Emmanuel Macron will use a speech at the United Nations to recognise a Palestinian state. Since his demotion to the backbench, Mr Husic has indicated he will continue to speak publicly about Palestinian statehood. Speaking to Sky News on Monday, Mr Husic argued recognition cannot wait any longer. 'I understand the logic that's been expressed by our government that said it should be part of a process, but the reality is that events have changed,' the former Industry Minister told Newsday. 'We should be making that case and saying we are prepared to recognise that now'. Also in response to Mr Husic's question, Mr Albanese told caucus Israel's claims that starvation is not occurring in Gaza, telling caucus such suggestions are 'beyond comprehension'. Earlier, US President Donald Trump told reporters on a visit to Scotland that there is 'real starvation' taking place in Gaza. On Monday night, Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu shared a video on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), claiming 'there is no starvation in Gaza, no policy of starvation in Gaza, and I assure you that we have a commitment to achieve our war goals'. Israel's Deputy Ambassador to Australia, Amir Meron, also claimed there is no starvation in Gaza during a briefing with journalists. Caucus meetings provide backbenchers an opportunity to ask questions of senior ministers on whatever subject they choose.
MTV Lebanon
2 days ago
- Politics
- MTV Lebanon
Australian legislator urges government to recognise Palestinian statehood
Ed Husic, a federal member of parliament from the governing Labour Party, has urged the Australian government to recognise the state of Palestine. In an op-ed published in the Guardian Australia, Husic hailed France's plan to recognise Palestinian statehood and wrote: 'This is the moment for our nation to take a similar stand.' 'The fact that only over the weekend the Netanyahu government is allowing 'minimal' aid into the territory demonstrates that the actions of the French government mattered, they made a difference,' added the lawmaker, who was until recently a minister in the Australian Labor government. Husic's article comes after Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said Australia is not planning to 'imminently' recognise Palestinian statehood, even as he acknowledged that Israel is 'quite clearly' breaching international law by stopping food from reaching Gaza.
Perth Now
16-07-2025
- Politics
- Perth Now
Anti-Semitism report 'runs risk of being too sweeping'
Australia has been warned against being too "heavy-handed" in the government's response to proposals for cracking down on anti-Semitism. Among recommendations from the nation's special envoy against anti-Semitism, Jillian Segal, is to adopt a definition of hatred toward Jews from the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance. In a report handed down on Thursday, Ms Segal also called for the defunding of universities and cultural institutions found to have enabled or failed to stop anti-Semitism. But Labor MP Ed Husic, the first Muslim elected to federal parliament and first of his faith made a minister in the Australian government, said he would prefer not having to use "sticks and threats of funding". "I would much prefer us finding ways to bring people together rather than being heavy-handed in response," he told ABC Radio on Wednesday. Education Minister Jason Clare said the government will wait for a report due in August from the Special Envoy to Combat Islamophobia Aftab Malik, to consider his recommendations together with Ms Segal's. Asked if he supported the call to axe university funding, Mr Clare said he would not comment on the recommendations. Ms Segal's report also said Australia was on a "dangerous trajectory where young people raised on a diet of disinformation and misinformation about Jews today risk becoming fully-fledged anti-Semites tomorrow". Mr Husic is concerned that finding ran the risk of being "too sweeping". "That's a statement ... we've got to be careful about taking that as an evident truth," he said. "Younger Australians, like most Australians, are genuinely moved by what they're seeing in the Middle East, and it shouldn't necessarily be assumed or a conclusion drawn that that will lead to anti-Semitism, so that's important to be mindful of." On the definition of anti-Semitism suggested by Ms Segal, Mr Husic raised the issue of free speech. "The issue of definition instantly brings into question whether or not people will be able to raise their concerns about the actions, for example, of what the Netanyahu government is doing in Gaza, and how that would be treated under a definition," he said. The lead drafter of the definition of anti-Semitism, US lawyer Kenneth Stern, has previously expressed concerns it could be used to suppress free speech. Liberal senator James Paterson has previously voiced his opposition to the definition being legislated in Australia, or there being consequences for those found to have breached it, on freedom-of-speech grounds.
