‘Win for the terrorists’

Critics slam Wong’s call to recognise Palestinian state

A signal that Australia is prepared to recognise a Palestinian state has been branded by critics as a win for Hamas that rewards terrorists.

Foreign Minister Penny Wong laid the groundwork for the policy shift in a major address to a security conference at the Australian National University on Tuesday, saying statehood could help “build momentum towards a twostate solution”.

She argued recognising a Palestinian state would undermine Hamas and was the only hope for peace.

The criticism of the speech from Jewish bodies in Australia and the Coalition was swift, with some commentators insisting it would be viewed as a win for Hamas.

“It certainly is a significant shift away from the bipartisan position that we have always taken with foreign policy and particularly towards Israel,” frontbencher Jane Hume said. “This is putting statehood ahead of security and it will be seen as a win for the terrorists.”

Opposition foreign affairs spokesman Simon Birmingham said fast-tracked recognition for Palestinian statehood was a “dangerous approach”.

Executive Council of Australian Jewry president Daniel Aghion criticised the speech as “not the way to treat a friend and ally of Australia, such as Israel”.

But ANU National Security College senior adviser Ben Scott described the speech as “a … balloon being floated”.

Speaking with the ABC, Senator Wong did not back down from her remarks, stressing that no decision had been made.

“The point I’m making is that ultimately peace, security for Israel will only be achieved if we have a Palestinian state alongside Israel, the Israeli state,” she said.

Responding to her critics, the Foreign Minister said there would be no role for Hamas in a Palestinian state and Israeli hostages must be released.

“What we are looking at and working with the international community is a pathway beyond the immediate conflict – that’s what the discussion is amongst the international community,” she said. “We have to work out how it is we break the endless cycle of violence.”

More than 33,000 Palestinians have been killed, according to Gaza’s health ministry, since the conflict was triggered by Hamas’s cross-border attack on October 7.

The attack left 1200 people dead and more than 250 people taken hostage.

Senator Wong’s speech comes as a new application for Palestinian statehood is being considered by the United Nations Security Council.

The UK suggested it could also recognise Palestinian statehood but Foreign Secretary David Cameron indicated that would not happen while Hamas remained in Gaza.