Australia votes for immediate Gaza ceasefire at UN
'If this resolution were to be put into effect, it would be a green light to Hamas to regroup, rearm and prepare for the next terrorist attack against Israel'
UPDATED: Member for Wentworth Allegra Spender said on Wednesday that Australia should have “at least abstained” from the UN General Assembly vote for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza last week, or negotiated harder for a more balanced resolution.
Australia joined 170 other countries in voting Yes to the resolution, which also called for the release of the Israeli hostages in Gaza but did not make a ceasefire dependent on that happening.
Australia also voted for a resolution condemning Israel for barring the UN Palestinian aid agency UNRWA from operating within its borders.
“I desperately want to see a ceasefire as supported by the Security Council, the release of hostages and the delivery of vital aid to civilians. However, I do not think the latest UN resolution promotes this,” Spender told The AJN.
“It demands a permanent and unconditional ceasefire with no guarantees for hostages nor Israeli security. It is very one sided in its criticism of Israel and doesn’t even mention Hamas’ October 7 attack. Australian representatives have admitted there are significant flaws in the text.”
Spender said while she supports the negotiations, the resolutions put forward “do not help” end the war.
Executive Council of Australian Jewry president Daniel Aghion said it is a “mark of shame” that Australia for an immediate ceasefire.
“This is arguably the most immoral resolution passed by the UN General Assembly since the infamous ‘Zionism is racism’ resolution in 1975, that was subsequently rescinded.” Aghion said.
“By calling for an immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire in Gaza, the General Assembly is effectively demanding that Israel abandon the hostages to their fate, and allow the Hamas terrorists to re-establish themselves as the de facto rulers of Gaza. No country in the world should be expected to betray its own citizens as Israel is being called upon to do.”
Aghion noted that “although the resolution calls for the ‘immediate and unconditional release of all hostages’, it does not make the release of the hostages interdependent with the ceasefire and does not require Hamas to lay down its arms.
“Nor does the resolution condemn Hamas for initiating the war on October 7, 2023 or for its many atrocities,” he said.
“If this resolution were to be put into effect, it would be a green light to Hamas to regroup, rearm and prepare for the next terrorist attack against Israel.
“Mere voting numbers do not determine the truth or what is just. It is a mark of shame for Australia that our government decided to support this vote, knowing full well how wrong it is in so many ways, as was evident in the reservations expressed by the Australian representative.”
Zionist Federation of Australia president Jeremy Leibler said, “Let’s be clear: if Israel had heeded previous calls for a ceasefire and de-escalation, Iran would be stronger, Hezbollah’s leadership would be intact and ordering the launch of thousands of rockets into Israel, Assad would still be controlling Syria, and Sinwar remains as Hamas’ leader planning for another October 7-like attack.
“None of this is in Australia, or the western world’s, interests.”
Foreign Minister Penny Wong posted on X after the vote, “For the past year, the world has been calling for a ceasefire in Gaza and the immediate and unconditional release of hostages.
“Today 158 countries voted in favour of this, including Australia, the UK, NZ, Canada, Japan and Germany.
“We want this war to end and the hostages home.”
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