Bishop questions divisions

November 30, 2012 by J-Wire Staff
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Julie Bishop questions “deep divisions” between the Prime Minister and her Foreign Minister.

Julie Bishop

Deep divisions between the Prime Minister and the Foreign Minister over Australia’s stance on the United Nations vote on Palestine has cast a pall of uncertainty over Australia’s imminent ascension to the UN Security Council.

The Foreign Minister’s appears to have lobbied his Cabinet and Caucus colleagues to roll the Prime Minister who advocated a No vote.

This makes it impossible for other nations to have confidence in any stance taken by the Prime Minister on any of the many serious matters that regularly come before the Security Council.

The Foreign Minister should immediately reveal any commitment he personally provided to other nations about Australia’s vote on this matter prior to the vote on Australia’s candidacy for the UNSC.

The Coalition remains disappointed in the Government’s decision to abstain from the vote on Palestine’s status at the UN and would have provided bipartisan support for a No vote.

I am concerned that this decision may delay a peaceful resolution of the conflict as the Palestinian leadership, which includes Hamas, take their cause to the international courts rather than resolve the situation through direct negotiations.

The path to peace is for the Palestinian leadership to officially recognise Israel’s right to exist, return to the negotiating table and to renounce all forms of violence including missile, mortar and other attacks.

The Coalition has been a strong supporter of the two-state solution and the right of the Israeli and Palestinian peoples to live peacefully and safely within internationally recognised borders.

A spokeserson for Foreign Minister Bob Carr told J-Wire: “The Foreign Minister made no commitments to any other nation about Australia’s vote on this matter, either before or after the vote on Australia’s candidacy for the UNSC.

The Government’s position in talks with foreign leaders was the same as its position in Australia – that a decision would be reached after considering the text of the resolution.

It is again disappointing that Ms Bishop sees this critical international issue as fair game for party politics.

The Government supports a negotiated two-state solution with an independent Palestinian state alongside a secure Israel – as does the Opposition.

The Government urges a return to negotiations on the two-state solution – as does the Opposition.

The Government strongly condemns recent rocket attacks on Israel from Hamas-controlled Gaza – as does the Opposition.”

Comments

8 Responses to “Bishop questions divisions”
  1. Eze says:

    Otto.
    You seem to assume that I am AGAINST following U.S lead in support of Israel.
    A major issue we have to face in the Jewish community is the divide between those that support Israel & those that actively advocate it’s demise- the antisemites token Jewboy/girl.
    If you liberally throw around those kind of accusations, that are probably your default response, then you may open divides amongst Israeli supporters.
    Some see the ALP as an Australian Hamas, despite what Gillard says. The Libs would except The Greens preference as well if it ment majority in Parliament. Hey, remember when a certain Lib was apparently a ‘denier’ ..

  2. Eze says:

    Otto.
    You seem to assume that I am AGAINST following U.S lead in support of Israel.
    A major issue we have to face in the Jewish community is the divide between those that support Israel & those that actively advocate it’s demise- the antisemites token Jewboy/girl.
    If you liberally throw around those kind of accusations, that are probably your default response, then you may open further divides amongst Israeli supporters

  3. Eze says:

    Sorry, obviously Australia did differ from America at the U.N today.
    That’s me told …

    • Shirlee. says:

      Unfortunately dear Jooolia didn’t have the courage of her conviction. She wanted a ‘no’ vote but she would have been thrown out with the garbage had she pushed the issue.

      Here’s you answer why from the Australian.

      “And, critically, there is the growing Muslim and Christian make-up of several key western Sydney Labor seats, which have exposed MPs to different points of view on the Middle East.

      Some sections of the party suggest Victorian Labor is too close to the Israel lobby and does not fully understand the underlying changes in Sydney’s outer suburbs.

      However, one Victorian minister said: “How are we going to solve Labor’s challenges in western Sydney by the way we vote at the UN?”

      Looks like we are joining the world in becoming dhimmis

      • Rita says:

        That prostitution by our Labor/Greens/Union government for the arab votes is quite nauseating. And this despite the fact that – so the statistics would have us believe – the muslim community accounts only for 1 or 2 percent of Australia’s population?

  4. Eze says:

    Although Carr has been recently been welcomed back into the fold, I’m sure he will go by the way of Rudd should he continue to push his own agenda.
    ALP or Lib – does anyone in the international community expect Australia to differ from America’s stance ?

    • Otto Waldmann says:

      Eze

      you are seriously confused and seemingly not worried that this affliction if spread may contaminate rational people ! Haven’t you noticed that right under your nose Australia departed from the suport given to the US. Just in case you missed out this little detail as well, US is the international roick on which Israel is resting its foreign policy and there is absolutely NOTHING wrong with that, unless one is pro Islam,,a communist or simply has that very popular view called anti Semitism.

  5. Rita says:

    Good on Julie Bishop and the Conservatives who have never wavered in their support for Israel against Terror Organisations like HAMAS.

    As to the present (and former) Foreign Minister, I find his/their courting of very dubious countries for a seat at the UN with MY tax dollar embarassing and would not be surprised if we see Bob Carr side by side with that other judeophobe in the ranks, Lee Rhiannon, leading one of those BDS hate marches.

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