Australia’s recognition of Palestine will still be dependent on Hamas having no role in a future state, a senior minister insists, despite the terror organisation praising the government’s move.
Hamas co-founder Hassan Youssef has praised the government’s “political courage” after Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced plans to recognise Palestinian statehood at a United Nations meeting in September.
The prime minister previously said Hamas would be opposed to the recognition decision, which was also dependent on the future Palestinian government recognising an Israeli state.
Several of Australia’s allies, including the UK, Canada and France, earlier revealed plans to make a similar announcement before the UN.
Senior minister Amanda Rishworth dismissed the comments from Hamas after opponents of Australia’s move seized on them as proof the government had got it wrong.
“There is no role for Hamas in a future Palestinian state, the international community is clear on that,” she told Seven’s Sunrise program on Thursday.
“The way to sideline Hamas is not to continue to see the cycle of violence happening, it is actually to create two states that are secure in their borders.”
But Opposition Leader Sussan Ley said the reaction from Hamas, a listed terrorist organisation in Australia, showed the recognition move was a serious misstep
“When terrorists are cheering your foreign policy, you have got it wrong,” she told Sydney radio station 2GB.
“The prime minister is making a complete mess of this. He’s right out of his depth.”
The coalition has pledged to reverse Australia’s position if it wins the next election.
Opposition Israeli parliamentarian Shelly Tal Meron said she was also concerned about Hamas’s reaction to the push for Palestinian recognition.
“When Hamas representatives, who are members of a terror organisation, are congratulating the Australian government, it’s a problem,” she told ABC Radio.
“Basically what we’re saying is you can invade a sovereign country, a democratic, Western, liberal country, and you can kill so many civilians and you’ll be rewarded for that.
“That’s the wrong message to send to the world.”
The latest outbreak of war in Gaza began when Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, 2023, killing 1200 people and taking about 250 hostage.
Israel’s military response has since killed more than 61,000 people, according to Gaza health authorities.
Australia has also been urged to provide more support to Gaza relief efforts as Labor faces grassroots pressure over the war in the Middle East.
Former Labor senator and left-faction heavyweight Doug Cameron said the government should do all it can to support a Palestinian state, including aiding reconstruction efforts when the conflict ends.
“We should not treat Palestine any differently to any other recognised state in the world and there should be an embassy,” he told AAP.
“If the Israeli government continues to kill innocent Palestinians, Labor has got no choice but to implement stronger and effective sanctions against a government that’s committing genocide.”
Israel rejects that its actions in Gaza amount to genocide.
Independent senator David Pocock said further action needed to be taken against the Israeli government, including its prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu over actions in Gaza..
“We’re seeing women and children starving and more needs to be done,” he told Nine’s Today program.
“I think there should be targeted sanctions on Netanyahu and his government.”
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