Penny Wong’s call for Palestinian state timeline ‘farcical’ and an ‘empty gesture’

The foreign minister’s speech in New York has attracted criticism from multiple facets, including that it would have little bearing on the conflict in the middle east.

A push by Foreign Minister Penny Wong for a timeline imposing the declaration of a Palestinian state as a path toward a two-state solution has been lashed by Australian Jewish and Palestinian groups, as well as defence experts.

The Senator’s speech to the United Nations general assembly in New York, in which she said the two-state solution was the only way “of breaking the endless cycle of violence” in the region, was slammed locally by both sides of the conflict.

Strategic Analysis Australia director Michael Shoebridge added it was hard to see the speech as anything but a play for votes in Australia.

“I don’t see how it works – there are two different populations involved, a statement out of the UN saying there’ll be ‘two states by X date’ has no operative effect on those populations – and can’t bind two terrorists organisations, Hamas and Hezbollah, even if the state of Israel agrees,” he said.

Australia's foreign Minister Penny Wong speaking to media in New York about a proposed UN declaration on the protection of humanitarian workers. Senator Wong is in the US to lead Australia's delegation to the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly from September 23-27. Photo: Andrew Kelly

“The UN just saying something can’t make it happen, and I think Penny Wong knows that. It’s hard to see it as anything as more performative politics, for domestic purposes.”

He said the move on the world stage was “an empty gesture”.

“People that don’t live there, trying to impose an answer from UN headquarters, is obviously ludicrous,” he said.

The speech from Senator Wong also drew criticism locally from groups representing both Palestinian and Jewish sides of the conflict.

Palestine Action Group Sydney spokesman Josh Lees said rather than calls for a two-state solution, Australia should instead cut any military ties with Israel.

“I think it’s farcical – every political current in Israel is opposed to a two state solution – and what they’re unleashing now is a one year long genocide in Gaza, and now they’re starting one in Lebanon,” he said.

“What Australia and the US needs to do is immediately cut military ties, stop arming the state of Israel, which is hellbent on unleashing more and more carnage in the region.

Pro-Palestinian rallies have been a common feature on Sydney’s streets over the last year. Picture: Jonathan Ng

“Until they do that, anything they say is empty words.”

Executive Council of Australian Jewry co-chief executive Alex Ryvchin meanwhile responded by questioning “What exactly does the government intend to recognise as a sovereign and independent state?”

“A terror enclave atop a labyrinth of tunnels where over a hundred Israelis are held hostage? Or the West Bank which has no democratic institutions and where the inept and corrupt Palestinian Authority only holds off Hamas and other terror factions because of Israeli counter-terrorism operations?” he said, adding recognition would “embolden rogue actors and terror groups around the world”.

In her speech, Senator Wong said Australia had already “sanctioned Israeli extremist settlers”, while adding “there can be no role for terrorists” in a Palestinian state.

In a sign of frustration over a lack of progress in peace talks, she said a timeline for a recognition of a Palestinian state could progress the search for a peaceful solution, saying “Australia wants to engage on new ways to build momentum”.

Originally published as Penny Wong’s call for Palestinian state timeline ‘farcical’ and an ‘empty gesture’