Ms. Wong said a negotiated two-state solution, where Israel and a future Palestinian state coexist in peace and security within internationally recognised borders, was the only way forward for “just and enduring peace.”
However, its unreachable state was a “tragic consequence” of Hamas’ “abhorrent and unconscionable crime” against the Palestinian people.
“Just as we stand with Israel, we stand with the Australian Jewish community—and we will do everything we need to keep the community safe,” she said.
She added, “More Jews were killed on Saturday than on any day since the Holocaust. For people who have known the horror of genocide, this fact cuts deep. They are the acts of terrorists. They cannot be justified.”
“Australia stands against terrorism. I reiterate Israel’s right to defend itself.”
Further, addressing how the Albanese government could help, Ms. Wong said transforming energy on a path to net zero, building a more significant workforce, broadening and deepening the industrial base and leveraging capital and investment were “all areas of reform that offer the potential for deeper economic engagement with Israel.”
In the wake of the war, she called for Australians to “work together” to reinforce the “decent and inclusive” nation’s values, such as standing “against hate and publicly and always condemning actions and comments designed to incite fear and hatred.”
It comes after the Israeli government formally declared war against the terrorist group Hamas—which controls the Gaza Strip—following a deadly coordinated strike against Israeli civilians that has resulted in over 1,200 deaths, the country’s worst amount, according to Israeli forces.
Over 338,000 people fled their homes as heavy Israeli bombardments continued hitting the Palestinian enclave.
Another nearly 15,000 people fled Palestinian Authority-controlled schools, while relatives, neighbours, a church, and other facilities in Gaza City sheltered more than 100,000 people.
Israel’s air and artillery strikes killed more than 1,100 people in Gaza, according to officials.
Sympathetic to a Two-State Solution: PM
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese told FiveAA Adelaide radio that he had always been “sympathetic to a two-state solution in the Middle East, where people from Israel and Palestine can live in security and safety.”“You can have that position. But I think the events on the weekend deserve unequivocal condemnation,” Mr. Albanese said.
However, he was more concerned the Israel-Hamas war could develop into a broader conflict, adding the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) worked 24/7 to keep on top of it.
“We’re concerned about the safety of Australian citizens, many of whom are there in the Middle East.”
At least 122 Australians have left the region since the crisis began. However, about 12,000 Australians remain, although many are dual nationals.
As a result, the government announced the assisted departure of Australians who wish to leave the region. Three flights will depart from Ben Gurion Airport near Tel Aviv from Oct. 13. The government urged people to register with the 24-hour consular emergency centre before boarding.
Ms. Wong said Qantas would operate these flights free of charge to ease Australians’ stress from cancellations and delays.
“Our immediate priority is to ensure the Australians who want to leave Israel can do so—but we are working on options for Australians who need onward support from London,” Ms. Wong said.
Qantas said the flights are “expected” to be on a Boeing 787 Dreamliner from Tel Aviv to London “subject to ongoing safety and security assessments, and regulatory approvals in several countries.”
Meanwhile, Home Affairs Minister Clare O’Neil told ABC radio there could be “quite large demand over time for these flights.”
The Coalition Remains Committed
Meanwhile, the Liberal party said Labor’s handling of Israel and the Palestinian territories has “everything to do with managing factional differences and nothing to do with advancing a lasting two-state outcome.”“The Coalition remains committed to supporting a lasting two-state solution in which Israel and Palestine coexist. Regrettably, Labor’s internal differences are undermining the consistency of Australia’s position on these matters,” Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs, Senator Simon Birmingham said.
“Foreign Affairs Minister Wong has previously criticised unilateral decisions that undermine a two-state solution, yet now appears committed to Labor making its own unilateral decisions without genuine consultation.”
Opposition Leader Peter Dutton called for action to deter pro-Palestine protesters from making anti-Semitic slurs.
“It’s an expression of hate speech. And the terrorist killings, the beheading of babies—to be celebrating that sort of conduct, it just lacks basic human decency,” he told Sydney radio 2GB.
Further, he called for the deportation of non-citizens who preached hate speech against Jews.
“People with that hate in their minds, in their hearts, don’t have any place in our society,” he said.
