Australia votes against UNESCO membership for Palestinians
THE Israeli embassy in Canberra has praised Australia for voting against a decision by the General Assembly of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) to admit Palestine as a member state.
THE Israeli embassy in Canberra has praised Australia for voting against a decision by the General Assembly of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) to admit Palestine as a member state.
The move gives the Palestinian Authority symbolic custodianship over holy sites in the West Bank and potentially East Jerusalem, preempting the outcome of future peace negotiations.
Israel has responded by stepping up construction over the pre-1967 lines, while the US has said it will freeze a scheduled $60-million payment to UNESCO.
Australia was one of just 14 nations to vote against Palestine becoming a member last Monday. The motion carried with 107 votes in favour and 52 abstentions.
Israeli embassy spokesperson Einat Weiss said the UNESCO decision placed unnecessary burdens on the route to renewing talks.
“Israel believes that the only way to make progress in the diplomatic process is through direct negotiations without preconditions,” she said.
“Israel would like to thank the other 13 countries that opposed the decision in the UNESCO General Assembly, and especially the government of Australia. Their vote is a manifestation of courage and determination endorsing the principal of negotiated peace.”
Echoing the sentiment, Federal MP for Melbourne Ports Michael Danby said Prime Minister Julia Gillard had again demonstrated Australia was a strong friend of Israel.
“UNESCO has already shown its discriminatory behaviour by classifying one of the Tombs of the Matriarchs – the tomb of Rachel, as a Palestinian Heritage site,” Danby said.
The Australia/Israel & Jewish Affairs Council (AIJAC) also applauded Australia’s position.
Executive director Colin Rubinstein said by admitting Palestine, UNESCO had acted irresponsibly and directly counter to the international community’s recent emphasis on a return to negotiations without preconditions.
“The Palestinian Authority is well aware that neither UNESCO nor any other agency can create a state for the Palestinians,” he said.
“The countries that opposed the resolution, including Australia, are the only states which now have any moral authority in contributions they make to advancing peace processes.”
Zionist Federation of Australia president Philip Chester also congratulated the government for voting against the admission.
Meanwhile, Australia abstained in another UN vote last week, that one held by the UN Disarmament Committee, calling on Israel to accede to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT).
A spokesperson for Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd said the government chose to abstain, rather than vote against the draft resolution, because it believed in the resolution’s basic principle, but not the way it had been framed.
“Australia supports universalisation of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty as the bedrock of global efforts to contain the spread of nuclear weapons,” the spokesperson said.
“However, Australia has traditionally abstained on this resolution, since it is unbalanced. It singles out Israel without referencing Iran’s non-compliance with the NPT.”
GARETH NARUNSKY
Federal MP for Melbourne Ports Michael Danby says Prime Minister Julia Gillard has again shown Australia is a strong friend of Israel.
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