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Australian PM calls for Gaza ceasefire ‘immediately, by both sides’ Australian PM calls for Gaza ceasefire ‘immediately, by both sides’
(about 3 hours later)
Tony Abbott has called for a ceasefire in Gaza “immediately, by both sides” but says Palestinians must accept Israel’s right to exist behind secure borders.Tony Abbott has called for a ceasefire in Gaza “immediately, by both sides” but says Palestinians must accept Israel’s right to exist behind secure borders.
With Israel facing strong condemnation overnight over accusations that it bombed a UN shelter, killing 15 sleeping women and children, the Australian prime minister was asked on Melbourne radio 3AW whether it was time for Israel to back off.With Israel facing strong condemnation overnight over accusations that it bombed a UN shelter, killing 15 sleeping women and children, the Australian prime minister was asked on Melbourne radio 3AW whether it was time for Israel to back off.
Abbott said there needed to be a ceasefire “because plainly, too many people are dying”.Abbott said there needed to be a ceasefire “because plainly, too many people are dying”.
He said the conflict was “just wrong” and the world needed to work towards achieving a durable two-state solution “where the Palestinians do accept Israel’s right to exist behind secure borders”.He said the conflict was “just wrong” and the world needed to work towards achieving a durable two-state solution “where the Palestinians do accept Israel’s right to exist behind secure borders”.
Abbott said the Australian government supported Palestinian statehood but that support had to go “hand in hand” with the recognition of Israel’s right to secure its borders. Australia, he said, supported Israel’s right to exist and its “right to self-defence”.Abbott said the Australian government supported Palestinian statehood but that support had to go “hand in hand” with the recognition of Israel’s right to secure its borders. Australia, he said, supported Israel’s right to exist and its “right to self-defence”.
He suggested the Israeli government’s decision-making was not flawless, but contended that seemingly intractable opposition to the state of Israel was the source of the tension and conflict.He suggested the Israeli government’s decision-making was not flawless, but contended that seemingly intractable opposition to the state of Israel was the source of the tension and conflict.
“The problem in the Middle East is that in the end so many people are not prepared to accept Israel’s right to exist.”“The problem in the Middle East is that in the end so many people are not prepared to accept Israel’s right to exist.”
The communications minister, Malcolm Turnbull, also mounted a pro-Israel argument during a separate ABC radio interview.The communications minister, Malcolm Turnbull, also mounted a pro-Israel argument during a separate ABC radio interview.
Turnbull said he was not comfortable with the current conflict, but he argued Israel had no choice but to repel attacks in its territory. “Israel risks extinction, Israel faces an existential threat every day. Israel ... can barely afford to lose a battle let alone a war,” the communications minister said.Turnbull said he was not comfortable with the current conflict, but he argued Israel had no choice but to repel attacks in its territory. “Israel risks extinction, Israel faces an existential threat every day. Israel ... can barely afford to lose a battle let alone a war,” the communications minister said.
“The battle, the problems between Palestinians and Israel, are immense and complex, but right here and now the fundamental issue that Israel faces is its fights to defend the safety of its people,” Turnbull said on Thursday.“The battle, the problems between Palestinians and Israel, are immense and complex, but right here and now the fundamental issue that Israel faces is its fights to defend the safety of its people,” Turnbull said on Thursday.
“As long as Hamas is firing rockets into Israel, the Israeli defence force has to defend its own population. I mean, that’s what we’d expect the Australian army to do for us.”“As long as Hamas is firing rockets into Israel, the Israeli defence force has to defend its own population. I mean, that’s what we’d expect the Australian army to do for us.”
In Sydney, the Labor leader Bill Shorten also called for a ceasefire. He said the events overnight were “deeply disturbing”.In Sydney, the Labor leader Bill Shorten also called for a ceasefire. He said the events overnight were “deeply disturbing”.
Asked whether Australia should use its position on the UN security council to push for a halt to hostilities, Shorten said the “government has had its hands full pursuing, appropriately, the disaster in Ukraine”.Asked whether Australia should use its position on the UN security council to push for a halt to hostilities, Shorten said the “government has had its hands full pursuing, appropriately, the disaster in Ukraine”.
Shorten later issued a joint statement with his deputy leader and foreign affairs spokeswoman, Tanya Plibersek, calling on the government to “use its position on the United Nations security council to push for an immediate ceasefire in Israel and the Palestinian territories”.Shorten later issued a joint statement with his deputy leader and foreign affairs spokeswoman, Tanya Plibersek, calling on the government to “use its position on the United Nations security council to push for an immediate ceasefire in Israel and the Palestinian territories”.
“With reports of more than 1,300 dead, including many children, the fighting must end now. Labor is appalled by the recent shelling of a UN school in a Gaza refugee camp, and attacks on similar facilities,” the joint statement said.“With reports of more than 1,300 dead, including many children, the fighting must end now. Labor is appalled by the recent shelling of a UN school in a Gaza refugee camp, and attacks on similar facilities,” the joint statement said.
The statement said Labor deplored the “abuse of civilian facilities for military purposes, including a Gaza school that was used to hide rockets”. It called on both sides to cease hostilities and show restraint.The statement said Labor deplored the “abuse of civilian facilities for military purposes, including a Gaza school that was used to hide rockets”. It called on both sides to cease hostilities and show restraint.
“The scale of human suffering has shocked the world. Australia needs to work urgently with the international community to bring this terrible conflict to an end.”“The scale of human suffering has shocked the world. Australia needs to work urgently with the international community to bring this terrible conflict to an end.”
While the Labor leadership is attempting to hold a broadly centrist position, a number of federal Labor MPs have signed a statement which is pointedly critical of Israel’s aggression in the conflict.
The joint statement signed by several left-wing MPs calls “on all Australian politicians to condemn the ongoing Israeli military bombardment and invasion of Gaza”.
The statement says the conflict is lopsided.
“The rockets fired from Gaza are not in any way justified and insofar as they threaten and harm civilians are illegal under international law. However, these imprecise rockets cannot be compared with the broad-scale bombing of Gaza by Israel which has one of the world’s largest military forces,” the statement says.
The statement is also signed by Greens MPs and the former Liberal prime minister Malcolm Fraser.