Latest news with #PennyWong
Arab News
an hour ago
- Politics
- Arab News
Australia's first Muslim MP calls for country to recognize Palestine
LONDON: Australia's first Muslim MP and government minister has said his country should recognize a Palestinian state, following in the footsteps of the UK as part of a tide of 'moral momentum.' The appeal by Labor's Ed Husic, who was elected in 2010, came as Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is to hold further talks with his British counterpart Keir Starmer in the coming days. Starmer pledged this week to recognize a Palestinian state in September if Israel fails to reach a ceasefire with Hamas, among other conditions. If Australia does the same, it would deprive Hamas of its power in Gaza and expedite the peace process, Husic said. 'Hamas is built largely on grievance. That grievance gets removed with the establishment of a state of Palestine, nurtured with the cooperation and support of the international community, progressed through the development of democratic institutions,' he added. The former minister said his Labor colleagues feel increasingly aggrieved over the situation in Gaza, calling on them to urge Australian recognition of a Palestinian state. 'There is a deep feeling within the caucus, about how right it is to recognize Palestine, and I would much rather that colleagues speak for themselves,' he added. Foreign Minister Penny Wong signed an international statement calling for an immediate ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. Albanese, however, declined to immediately follow Starmer's decision despite Australia's government previously signaling that it would move in unison with international partners on measures to address the crisis in Gaza. 'What I've said is that it's not the timeline, that's not what we're looking at. What we're looking at is the circumstances where recognition will advance the objective of the creation of two states,' Albanese said at Parliament House after speaking with Starmer this week. 'I've said for a long time, my entire political life, I've said I support two states … That's my objective — not making a statement, not giving a political point, but achieving peace.'
Perth Now
14 hours ago
- Politics
- Perth Now
Australia signs bombshell Gaza statement
Australia is among more than a dozen Western countries hinting they could recognise a Palestinian state at the upcoming UN General Assembly (UNGA). Foreign Minister Penny Wong on Wednesday joined counterparts from 14 countries, including France and New Zealand, in issuing a joint statement calling Palestinian statehood 'an essential step' toward a two-state solution – the internationally adopted answer for a peaceful resolution to the conflict between Israel and Palestine. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has been urged not to recognise a Palestinian state. NewsWire / Martin Ollman Credit: News Corp Australia Noting the 80th UNGA meeting coming up in September, the foreign ministers said they 'have already recognised, have expressed or express the willingness or the positive consideration of our countries to recognise the State of Palestine as an essential step towards the two-state solution and invite all countries that have not done so to join this call'. They also urged countries that had not established 'normal relations with Israel' to do so and 'to express their willingness to enter into discussions on the regional integration of the State of Israel'. The statement comes after British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the UK would recognise a Palestinian state at the UNGA meeting unless Israel takes 'substantive steps to end the appalling situation in Gaza'. The Coalition has urged Anthony Albanese not to follow his UK counterpart. More to come
ABC News
14 hours ago
- Politics
- ABC News
Australia yet to recognise Palestine but signs fresh statement toughening its position
Australia has taken another step towards recognising Palestine but has yet to commit to doing so after the United Kingdom signalled its own intentions overnight. In a joint statement with 14 countries, including several who already recognise the Palestinian state, Australia welcomed a series of commitments by the Palestinian Authority (PA) which could pave the way to recognition. These include PA's calls in June for the disarmament of Hamas and the release of hostages and its undertaking to hold fresh elections within a year — key conditions for recognition identified earlier this week by Anthony Albanese and Penny Wong. The UK's declared intent to recognise Palestine at the UN General Assembly in September, unless Israel takes steps to end the war in Gaza, comes after strong suggestions from ministers that Australia was working with its allies and would act on recognition in tandem. Neither the prime minister nor the foreign minister have spoken since the UK move, but Labor MP Ed Husic repeated calls for Australia to join "moral momentum" for the move. "It requires from us a consideration of our approach," he told reporters on Wednesday. "We can still maintain that we have conditions that we believe need to be satisfied … But we can flag our preparedness to join with both France and the UK to signal our commitment to recognise Palestine." France became the first G7 country to move to recognise Palestine last week, declaring its own intentions to do so at the September UN meeting. It signed the fresh statement with Australia alongside New Zealand and Canada — who previously joined Australia and the UK in sanctioning two Israeli ministers — and Spain, Norway and Ireland, who already recognise Palestine. The UK did not sign. The statement notes all signatories "have already recognised, have expressed or express the willingness or the positive consideration of our countries to recognise the State of Palestine". It describes recognition "as an essential step towards the two-state solution and [invites] all countries that have not done so to join this call". The statement also urges all countries who do not have "normal relations" with Israel to do so and begins with a condemnation of the October 7 terrorist attack and a call for an immediate ceasefire with the unconditional release of all Hamas hostages. It states "unwavering commitment to the vision of the two-state solution … and in this regard stress the importance of unifying the Gaza Strip with the West Bank under the Palestinian Authority". Coalition frontbenchers have signalled opposition to short-term recognition this week, and finance spokesperson James Paterson did so again on Wednesday morning. "Australia has always argued that a Palestinian state should be the end of an outcome of a peace process," he told ABC Radio National. "Premature recognition of a Palestinian state before Hamas has been dismantled, before the Palestinian Authority recognises Israel's right to exist, before they give up their aims of using terrorism to abolish the Israeli state, I think would be extremely counterproductive." On Tuesday, Mr Albanese said Israel's claim that there was "no starvation in Gaza" was "beyond comprehension", after he earlier said Israel was "quite clearly" breaching international law. US President Donald Trump and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer have made similar statements about starvation, but Opposition Leader Sussan Ley has resisted doing so. Senator Paterson said there were "credible reports" of starvation in Gaza and "very clear evidence of people suffering" but said he was "not in a position to independently assess" what was happening and was "cautious" given the presence of Hamas. "Clearly there is very serious suffering happening in Gaza. I think it's also clear that Hamas is weaponising that for their own aims," he said. "It's my expectation of Israel as the military power in effective control in the region that they have an obligation to ensure that the people of Gaza are fed."
News.com.au
14 hours ago
- Politics
- News.com.au
‘When, not if': Australia's big call on Palestine
Labor frontbencher Anika Wells has declared that Australian recognition of Palestinian statehood is a 'question of when, not if' after the British Prime Minister warned the UK Labour government will move swiftly without Israeli concessions. As Australia released a joint statement on Wednesday morning to 'express willingness … to recognise the state of Palestine, as an essential step towards the two-state solution' the Albanese Government signalled that the situation is unfolding rapidly. 'What is happening in Gaza has gone beyond the world's worst fears,' Communications Minister Anika Wells told ABC TV. 'It is now a question of when, not if, a two-state solution happens,' she continued. 'We are working with like-minded parties to ensure that happens as soon as possible. 'It is a question of when not if,' she said. 'There are things to work through. 'We need Hamas to release the hostages and we need to secure aid as quickly as possible. Everybody is working on that. Labor has long advocated for a two-state solution.' In a joint statement of 15 countries on Wednesday morning, Foreign Minister Penny Wong and other signatories said they had already 'expressed or express the willingness or the positive consideration of our countries to recognise the state of Palestine, as an essential step towards the two-state solution, and invite all countries that have not done so to join this call'. The statement demanded 'an immediate ceasefire, the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages of Hamas, including the remains, as well as ensuring unhindered humanitarian access'. The statement was co-signed by Andorra, Australia, Canada, Finland, France, Iceland, Ireland, Luxembourg, Malta, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, San Marino, Slovenia and Spain. It condemns 'the heinous and antisemitic terrorist attack of October 7th, 2023.' and demands 'an immediate ceasefire, the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages of Hamas, including the remains, as well as ensuring unhindered humanitarian access.' The statement goes on to 'express grave concern over the high number of civilian casualties and humanitarian situation in Gaza and emphasize the essential role of the United Nations and its agencies in facilitating humanitarian assistance.' It expresses 'our determination to work on an architecture for the 'day after' in Gaza which guarantees the reconstruction of Gaza, the disarmament of Hamas and its exclusion from the Palestinian governance.' Overnight, Keir Starmer announced the UK will formally recognise a Palestinian state in September unless Israel takes various 'substantive steps', including agreeing to a ceasefire in Gaza. Sir Keir's move, which follows French President Emmanuel Macron's pledge to recognise a State of Palestine at the upcoming United Nations General Assembly – would make the two European allies the first G7 nations to do so. In a televised address from Downing Street immediately after the cabinet meeting, the Prime Minister said the UK will recognise a Palestinian state if Israel has not taken the steps demanded by the time the Assembly is held in September. It must 'end the appalling situation in Gaza, agree to a ceasefire and commit to a long-term, sustainable peace, reviving the prospect' of a two-state solution, Sir Keir added. 'I've always said we will recognise a Palestinian state as a contribution to a proper peace process, at the moment of maximum impact for the two-state solution,' he said. 'With that solution now under threat, this is the moment to act.'
News.com.au
15 hours ago
- Politics
- News.com.au
Australia signs joint statement hinting Palestinian statehood recognition
Australia is among more than a dozen Western countries hinting they could recognise a Palestinian state at the upcoming UN General Assembly (UNGA). Foreign Minister Penny Wong on Wednesday joined counterparts from 14 countries, including France and New Zealand, in issuing a joint statement calling Palestinian statehood 'an essential step' toward a two-state solution – the internationally adopted answer for a peaceful resolution to the conflict between Israel and Palestine. Noting the 80th UNGA meeting coming up in September, the foreign ministers said they 'have already recognised, have expressed or express the willingness or the positive consideration of our countries to recognise the State of Palestine as an essential step towards the two-state solution and invite all countries that have not done so to join this call'. They also urged countries that had not established 'normal relations with Israel' to do so and 'to express their willingness to enter into discussions on the regional integration of the State of Israel'. The statement comes after British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the UK would recognise a Palestinian state at the UNGA meeting unless Israel takes 'substantive steps to end the appalling situation in Gaza'. The Coalition has urged Anthony Albanese not to follow his UK counterpart.
