Natalie Barr has clashed with Anthony Albanese after her foreign minister Penny Wong was accused of the “most reckless” diplomatic act in decades.
In a speech at the Australian National University on Tuesday, Senator Wong said recognizing a Palestinian state was the only way to break the cycle of violence and bring peace to both Palestinians and Israelis.
Opposition leader Peter Dutton quickly joined Jewish leaders in criticizing Ms Wong’s comments as “utterly illogical, ill-timed and inappropriate”.
Dutton said pushing for a two-state solution was the “most reckless act by a foreign secretary I have seen in my 22 years in parliament”.
During an appearance on Mr Barr’s Sunrise show, he confronted Mr Albanese about Mr Wong’s comments.
‘Peter Dutton Says this is the most reckless act by a Foreign Secretary in 20 years, Jewish groups are furious. They say we have a war. This will reward Hamas. Were these statements inappropriate?
“Well, this is just more unpleasant negativity from Peter Dutton,” Mr Albanese responded.
‘Today I’m talking about jobs, the future, the Australian economy. But also, of course, focusing on a conflict that has been there all my life and the whole world knows that there needs to be a two-state solution in the Middle East.
‘That is something that has been Australia’s long-standing policy and it is something that I have been very consistent about over a long period of time.
‘But Hamas cannot play any role in a future state. We have also made it very clear. Just like the rest of the Western world.
Natalie Barr asked Anthony Albanese if Wong’s remarks were “inappropriate”
Foreign Senator Penny Wong said recognizing a Palestinian state was the only way to break the endless cycle of violence and bring peace to both Palestinians and Israelis.
Today Show host Karl Stefanovic similarly pressed the Prime Minister on Thursday, asking if he had a formal plan to recognize Palestinian statehood.
Albanese stopped short of answering the question, instead insisting that his government had always advocated a two-state solution in the Middle East.
“Israel’s right to exist within secure borders, without being threatened by organizations like Hamas that are committed to Israel’s destruction, has no role to play in the Middle East, but we need justice for the Palestinians,” he said.
Stefanovic compared the task of separating Hamas and a Palestinian state to “separating milk and dark chocolate on the top floor of Cadbury.”
‘I mean, it’s almost impossible, right?’ she asked.
Albanese responded and told the host, “That’s not right.”
‘If you look at the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank it is not run by Hamas. And we must ensure that Hamas has no role,” he said.
‘However, what we need to do is ensure that Palestinians can also have hope for a secure future. We have seen generations condemned to conditions that are completely unacceptable, and that has been a source of tension.
‘And what we have to do is look beyond what happens after the current conflict. And it is necessary to move towards a two-state solution. As the United States, the United Kingdom and all our like-minded countries have said.’
Opposition leader Peter Dutton quickly joined Jewish leaders in criticizing Ms Wong’s comments as “completely illogical, ill-timed and inappropriate”.
The Foreign Minister ruled out Hamas having any role in leading a Palestinian state; instead, that job should fall to a reformed Palestinian Authority (pictured, Palestinians in Gaza).
Speaking at a National Security College conference, Ms Wong said there was “widespread frustration” at the lack of progress towards forming a Palestinian state in the occupied West Bank and in Gaza alongside Israel.
“So the international community is now considering the issue of Palestinian statehood as a way to build momentum toward a two-state solution,” he said.
‘There is no role for Hamas in a future Palestinian state. “Hamas is a terrorist organization that has the explicit intention of destroying the State of Israel and the Jewish people,” he stated.
The Foreign Minister ruled out Hamas having any role in leading a Palestinian state; instead, that job should fall to a reformed Palestinian Authority.
But his comments provoked fury from the opposition leader, who accused the Albanian government of having a “clear prejudice” towards Israel.
“For a crude domestic political victory, Penny Wong has irreparably damaged our relations with our ally Israel,” Mr Dutton said.
“It is the most reckless act by a foreign secretary I have seen in my 22 years in parliament and has weakened our international standing.”