Elated would be too strong a word. But Nasser Mashni, the vice-president of the Australia Palestine Advocacy Network, has been heartened by three moves the Albanese government has taken in its short time in office to shift Australia’s position on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
The first two received barely any attention; the third caused an almighty conflagration this week.
In June, Australia declined to sign up to a US-led statement on Israel and the Palestinian territories at the United Nations, signalling a more independent stance from the new government.
In September, Foreign Minister Penny Wong announced Australia would double Australia’s contribution to the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) from $10 million to $20 million. Australian Jewish groups criticised the move, saying the agency was riddled with corruption and promoted hatred of Israel.
“Australia remains a strong supporter of a two-state solution, in which Israel and a future Palestinian state coexist, in peace and security, within internationally recognised borders,” Wong said at the time. “Viewing the Israeli-Palestinian conflict from one perspective will not achieve that goal.”
Then, on Tuesday, the government announced it would no longer recognise West Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. Labor had vowed in 2018 to reverse the Morrison government’s decision to recognise West Jerusalem, but the issue had received little attention since. Neither pro-Israeli nor pro-Palestinian groups thought it was high on the government’s agenda.
Read the article by Matthew Knott in the Brisbane Times.