Australia's UN vote in favour of Palestinian sovereignty 'building momentum' towards two-state solution: minister
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ustralia's decision to vote in favour of permanent Palestinian sovereignty at the United Nations (UN) was a step towards a two-state solution, the government has said.
Australia on Thursday joined over 150 countries in backing a UN committee resolution to recognize the permanent sovereignty of Palestinian people in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and of the Arab population in the occupied Syrian Golan over their natural resources. Australia had previously abstained or voted against the permanent sovereignty resolution since it was first introduced to the UN in 2003.
Addressing the vote on Friday, Jason Clare, Australia's Minister for Education, said it was about building momentum toward a two-state solution. "What this is about is building momentum to a two-state solution. We need to end the killing and start the talking," he told Seven Network television. "This is a vote by more than 150 countries to build momentum, to build two countries behind secure borders where people can live in peace rather than what we see at the moment," he said.
A spokesperson for Penny Wong, Australia's Minister for Foreign Affairs, stated that Australia does not agree with everything in the resolution but that the vote reflects international concern about Israel's actions, Xinhua news agency reported. This decision followed Australia's earlier votes in May in favor of granting Palestinian observers full membership of the UN and in December 2023 for a ceasefire. The US voted against both of those propositions as well as Thursday's draft resolution.
Additionally, Australia voted in favor of a second draft resolution calling on Israel to assume responsibility and pay compensation to Lebanon for its role in a 2006 oil spill.
✔️ Australia's UN vote in favour of Palestinian sovereignty 'building momentum' towards two-state solution: minister
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