Labor has doubled down on its opposition to Israeli settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, a day after the Turnbull government broke with the Obama administration over a controversial UN resolution.
Foreign Minister Julie Bishop released a statement on Thursday making it clear that Australia, while ineligible to vote on the United Nation’s Security Council resolution demanding Israel “immediately and completely cease” all settlement activities in the occupied Palestinian territory, would most likely have not supported it.
“…In voting at the UN, the Coalition government has consistently not supported one-sided resolutions targeting Israel,” she said, while urging both sides to work towards peace and “resume direct negotiations for a two-state solution as soon as possible”.
Israel remains convinced the resolution, which was sponsored by four countries, including New Zealand, was orchestrated by the Obama administration. US Secretary of State, John Kerry, advised his representative to abstain from voting on the resolution, rather than veto it, and the US government has denied any involvement.
Read the full article by at The Sydney Morning Herald.