Kevin Rudd (Griffith, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Hansard source

Prior to 2003, resolutions of a similar type to the two matters referred to were supported by the then Liberal government. That is the first point. The second is, as explained just now by the Minister for Foreign Affairs at the dispatch box, what occurred subsequent to that was the request for the advisory opinion from the International Court of Justice on the question of the security wall. The other point I would draw the honourable member’s attention to is that, if we are serious about a long-term Middle East peace process based on a two-state solution, part of that—a huge part of it—lies in dealing with the threat of terrorism to the state of Israel. That remains the position of this government, as it was the position of the previous government. Part of that also lies in what you do about the challenge of the settlements.

I draw to the honourable gentleman’s attention the statement overnight by the quartet comprising the government of the United States, the Russian Federation, the European Union and the United Nations which explicitly reiterates that both parties—Israel and Palestine—must ‘fully implement their obligations under phase 1 of the road map, including in relation to freezing settlement activity and the dismantlement of the infrastructure of terrorism’.

As the honourable gentleman would know, this is a very complex matter. The whole Middle East peace process is littered with failed negotiations up until now. But if there is a prospect of delivering peace in the Middle East, part of that hinges on the question of how we deal with settlements in future. A huge part of it hinges on how we provide Israel with an appropriate state of security, given the threat of continued terrorism which Israel has suffered under for many decades now.

There is a lot of sensitivity attached to these matters. We on this side of the House are as acutely conscious of this as those on the other side. But, as stated by the foreign minister, it is with the absolute best intentions that we will work constructively towards a two-state solution, mindful of all of these realities. The future of settlements is part and parcel of the road map to peace which was drafted by President Bush several years ago. That has been reiterated by the quartet in the last 24 hours. That informs the position taken by the foreign minister and the instructions that he has provided to former Senator Hill, our representative in New York.

See this speech in context