Bob Carr (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Hansard source

I would like to help the honourable senator find his way through these issues. I suspect that, given the expertise on this matter that resides in the Senate chamber on both sides of the house, you have probably been left behind by a debate far more intense and far more sophisticated than your comments suggest. The fact is that this motion does not confer statehood on the Palestinian territories; it does not do that. It gives a non-state status to the Palestinian delegation, which is somewhat higher than what it enjoys at the present time—a non-state status. When the vote takes place later this week, you will see that conservative governments from around the world will cast either a yes vote or an abstention. You will find that to be the case. To accuse them, to accuse the British government— (Time expired)