Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Hansard source

I thank the senator for the question, and I acknowledge his interest and expertise in national security and foreign affairs matters. What I would say to him is that this government is guided by the principle of advancing the cause of peace and progress towards a just and enduring two-state solution. It is clear that viewing the conflict from one perspective will not achieve such peace, and any lasting solution to the conflict cannot be at the expense of either Palestinians or Israelis. The conflict is a matter to be resolved through negotiations between the parties.

I've outlined our principle position, and what I would say to the senator is that we have taken steps consistent with these principles. We've reaffirmed Australia's previous longstanding and bipartisan position that Jerusalem is a final status issue. We recognise that this is a deeply felt issue for many, and there are few issues more central to the Jewish people than the status of Jerusalem. We've rebalanced Australia's positions in international forums while opposing anti-Israel bias in the UN. We've called out unilateral actions that undermine the prospects of peace. We unequivocally condemn all forms of terrorism and violence against civilians in Israel and in the Occupied Palestinian Territories and have repeatedly called on both Israeli and Palestinian leaders to take immediate steps to halt the violence.

We are gravely concerned about alarming trends that are significantly reducing the prospects of peace. We are deeply concerned by the Israeli government's settlement activity, including its advancements of thousands of settlement units and the retroactive legalisation of illegal outputs and policy changes. The Australian government is strengthening its opposition to settlements by affirming that they are illegal under international law and are a significant obstacle to peace. This is consistent with the positions of past governments and reflects legal advice and UN Security Council resolutions which determined that the settlements have no legal validity and constitute a violation of international law.