Foreign Minister Penny Wong says the Palestinian Authority requires “significant reform” if they are to broker a two-state solution with backing from Australia and other Western nations.
Asked on Sky News if the Palestinian Authority was the right body to work with, Wong said Australia was “clear-eyed” about the amount of reform needed by the organisation.
Foreign Minister Penny Wong. Alex Ellinghausen
“We are clear-eyed about that, so is the UK, so is Canada, so are all the European countries who have recognised.
“What I’d say to you is, of course, success is not guaranteed, but success never comes from just doing the same thing over and over again and hoping for a different outcome, and that’s the judgment countries of the world, including Australia, are making.
“There are many different figures inside the Palestinian Authority. There are also many leaders in the Arab League. And I think it is unprecedented for these commitments to be made, which go to security for Israel, demilitarisation, and, crucially, support for Hamas’ grip on Gaza to be ended.”
Asked about criticism from the Coalition that Australia was now committed to recognising a Palestinian state while Hamas continues to hold hostages, Wong said the government had consistently called for the release of hostages and condemned Hamas.
“But the question here is, well, what do we do? There are two alternatives here,” Wong said.
“We can continue to have more of the same: more death, more destruction, more civilians starving, more military action, more people killed, more pictures of children [suffering]. All we can say is we have to try and find another way.”