The Zionist Federation of Australia is appalled by the Albanese Government’s decision to vote for the General Assembly resolution to upgrade the status of the ‘State of Palestine’ and grant it additional rights and privileges within the United Nations.
ZFA President Jeremy Leibler said, “The Palestinians have rejected every peace plan ever offered to them. Granting additional rights and privileges now, in the aftermath of Hamas’s perpetration of the deadliest attack on Jewish people since the Holocaust, will only encourage that rejectionism and refusal to compromise. It will weaken the moderate voices within Palestinian society, strengthen Hamas and reward the terrorism.”
Mr Leibler continued, “The resolution does not call for the surrender of Hamas, or even call for the release of the more than 130 hostages it holds. Nor does it make recognition of Israel’s right to exist a precondition of recognition of Palestinian statehood. It removes from Palestinians any responsibility for the failure of the peace process to date or for creating peace into the future.”
Mr Leibler added, “The decision puts Australia out of step with key allies, including the majority of our Five Eyes partners; The United States opposed it, while Canada and the United Kingdom abstained, together with other democracies of good conscience, including Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden and Switzerland.
Mr Leibler continued, “This decision by the Albanese Government will cause many Australians now to doubt whether the proud and longstanding bipartisan position in support of the State of Israel remains.”
Mr Leibler concluded, “We recognise that Australia’s ‘statement of explanation’ makes it clear that voting in favour of this resolution does not constitute recognition of a Palestinian state. It condemns Hamas, calls for the release of hostages and makes it clear that the status of Jerusalem will also be determined by negotiations between the parties. However, we find it difficult to reconcile this statement with the resolution itself, which history will view as a reward for Hamas’s barbaric terrorist attack on 7 October. Hamas, Iran and Islamist terrorists will be celebrating this ill-conceived resolution that will only extend the conflict and the suffering of all sides. Australians should not.”
