Victorian Labor has ramped up pressure on Anthony Albanese to recognise a Palestinian state in this term of parliament, with former foreign minister Bob Carr saying it would send a powerful message to “the most right-wing government in Israel’s history”.
The Victorian Labor Party’s state conference also expressed disappointment over the AUKUS submarine deal, but debate over whether the deal infringes “Australia’s independent foreign and defence policy” has been delayed until national conference.
The AUKUS deal and push to recognise Palestine shape as flashpoints for this year’s national conference, to be held in Brisbane in August.
Federal Labor’s 2021 national platform supports the recognition of Israel and Palestine as part of a two-state solution, and says it should be a priority for Labor in government, but since winning the election the federal government has been wary of taking this step because it could infuriate Israel.
Key figures in the Victorian Labor Right faction, including Bill Shorten, Stephen Conroy and Mark Dreyfus, have long been strong supporters of Israel and have, over the past decade, clashed at successive national conferences with the National Left faction and the NSW Right, led by Carr, on the issue of recognition of Palestine.
But at the Victorian state conference on Sunday, a motion was passed supporting recognition “within the term of this parliament”, ramping up pressure on the Albanese government to act soon.
Read the article by James Massola in The Sydney Morning Herald.