Australia has backed a United Nations resolution to recognise the “permanent sovereignty” of Palestinian people for the first time in two decades.
The UN committee vote on Thursday found Australia voting with , including the UK, New Zealand, France, Germany and Japan, who voted on a resolution to recognise the “permanent sovereignty of the Palestinian people in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and of the Arab population in the occupied Syrian Golan over their natural resources”.
Seven voted against the resolution, including the United States, Canada and Israel. Eleven abstained.
Australia has constantly abstained from voting, or voted against the proposal since 2003, according to the Australia/Israel & Jewish Affairs Council.
The UN General Assembly will now be asked to consider the draft resolution.
The resolution calls for the recognition of the “permanent sovereignty of the Palestinian people in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and of the Arab population in the occupied Syrian Golan over their natural resources”.
It demands Israel to stop confiscating Palestinian’s homes and farms and to stop destroying key infrastructure like water, sewerage pipelines and electricity networks.
Minister for Foreign Affairs Penny Wong said the vote reflected “international concern” about Israeli actions. Source: AAP / Mick Tsikas
A spokesperson for Foreign Minister Penny Wong said the departure in position was because of reaffirmed calls for two-state solution.
“While Australia does not agree with everything in the resolution, this vote reflects international concern about Israeli actions that impede access to natural resources, and ongoing settlement activity, land dispossession, demolitions and settler violence against Palestinians,” Wong’s spokesperson said.
The spokesperson said such acts worked to “undermine stability and prospects for a two-state solution.”
“This resolution importantly recalls UN security council resolutions that reaffirm the importance of a two-state solution that has had bipartisan support.”
Australia maintains that final status issues, including borders, security, and Jerusalem, must be resolved as part of negotiations toward a .
But Jeremy Leibler, President of the Zionist Federation of Australia, said he was “alarmed” at Australia’s shift in stance.
“The Zionist Federation of Australia is alarmed at the Albanese Government’s decision to shift its long-standing position on two UN Resolutions in relation to Israel today,” he said.
“This is nothing less than an abandonment of Australia’s ally, the only democracy in the Middle East, at the very time it is fighting an existential, multi-front war against Iran and its proxies, which began with Hamas’ unprovoked and barbaric attack of October 7, 2023.”
“For decades, the Government abstained or voted against these resolutions. Now, with its abrupt change in position, it signals a troubling detachment from reality. This decision, once again, puts Australia out of step with key allies, including the United States and Canada.”
