Australia expresses regret after abstaining from motion

Wong said Australian diplomats had worked hard to secure amendments to allow the country to vote yes – as it had in the previous two UN votes – but had failed to convince the Palestinian delegation to rewrite the resolution to more closely reflect the ICJ’s findings.

“I would say we are already doing many of the things that the resolution requires,” she said.

“We do not supply weapons to Israel, we have imposed sanctions on a range of extremist Israeli settlers and we will ban extremist settlers from entering Australia.

“We wish we were able to support (the resolution).”

James Larsen, Australia’s representative to the United Nations, told the general assembly: “We wanted to vote for a resolution that clearly offered the Palestinian people a path to self-determination and the world a path to a two-state solution … however, we are concerned that by making demands on the entire UN membership that go beyond the scope of the advisory opinion, the resolution distracts from what the world expects of Israel.”

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Larson stated that “the occupation must end” and referred to a controversial speech earlier this year in which Wong said Australia could recognise a Palestinian state before a final peace settlement with Israel is reached.

“We have changed our position on recognition: we now see recognition as an integral part of a peace process and as a way to contribute meaningfully to the realization of a two-state solution,” he said.

“It’s a matter of when, not if.”

Jewish groups reacted angrily to the vote. Peter Wertheim, co-director of the Executive Council of Australian Jews, said Australia “should have voted no rather than taking the morally cowardly route of abstaining”.

The Zionist Federation of Australia said it was “deeply disappointed” by the vote, saying: “By abstaining, Australia distances itself from its natural ally, the United States, which stood with Israel at this critical time by voting against this motion.

“Australia has missed a vital opportunity to take a strong stand against the politicisation of the UN and in favour of a negotiated, peaceful solution that benefits both Israelis and Palestinians.”

The Australia Palestine Advocacy Network was contacted for comment.

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