Wong reaffirms statehood conditions before conference

Foreign Minister Penny Wong has reaffirmed the conditions Australia set around its recognition of a Palestinian state in an announcement that comes days before Labor’s national conference begins.

It comes after The AJN reported earlier this month that a draft platform circulated ahead of the conference had dropped explicit requirements for Hamas to disarm and the Palestinian Authority to reform, and after the Israeli embassy this week weighed in on the issue.

In a joint statement today (Tuesday) with Minister for International Development Anne Aly, Wong noted that a new $25 million support package for recovery in Gaza and to “strengthen the institutional foundations of the State of Palestine” included $10 million to the World Bank’s Palestinian Fund for Reconstruction and Development, to strengthen the Palestinian Authority’s public financial management.

Wong said strong, accountable and effective Palestinian institutions would be critical to recovery, regional stability and the long-term prospects for peace.

“We will continue to work with partners to hold the Palestinian Authority to commitments it has made to Australia and the international community which include to reform governance, terminate prisoner payments, institute schooling reform, demilitarise and hold general elections,” the statement said.