Australia backs UN vote for ‘unconditional ceasefire’ amid Netanyahu fury

Australia has backed an “immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire” in Gaza while rebuking Israel’s attempt to block a key aid agency from working in the Palestinian territories in overnight votes at the United Nations that toughen its stance on the Middle East war.

As the Australia-Israel relationship frays following Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s public condemnation of the Albanese government, Australia joined countries including the United Kingdom and New Zealand on Thursday to vote in favour of the two resolutions at the United Nations General Assembly.

Young Palestinians walk amid rubble of destroyed buildings at a neighbourhood in Khan Younis, Gaza Strip, in early December.Credit: AP

But the federal government drew criticism from the Coalition, which has called for Australia to follow the United States in siding with Israel as it accuses Prime Minister Anthony Albanese of fuelling homegrown antisemitism following two acts of vandalism in the past seven days.

Coalition frontbencher James Paterson said on Thursday that Albanese had traded votes at the UN for votes in inner-city electorates.

“This is gaslighting of the Jewish community while claiming to be concerned about antisemitism,” he said.

Jewish leaders have previously cautioned against claims that Labor is to blame for a surge in antisemitism after Netanyahu cited Australia’s previous votes in the UN to link the government’s actions to last week’s Melbourne synagogue attack.

The first motion Australia voted for overnight called for an “immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire” in Gaza as well as the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages. It was supported by 158 countries, while nine voted against and 13 abstained.

The second resolution – backed by 159 countries, with nine against and 11 abstentions – affirmed full international support for the mandate of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), which is the main provider of humanitarian aid in Gaza.

It also lamented recent legislation passed by the Israeli parliament to prevent UNRWA from operating in the Palestinian territories. Israel claims the agency is anti-Israel and says its workers have conducted terrorist activities, while UNRWA says it has investigated and sacked any personnel involved in terrorism and is neutral in the broader conflict.

James Larsen, Australia’s ambassador to the UN, said there were shortcomings in the way the resolutions were written but further delay in securing a ceasefire would only cost more lives.

“In terms of reservations, we support the United States’ proposal for an immediate ceasefire deal with the release of hostages ... Ceasefires have conditions that parties must agree. This reality should have been reflected in the resolution,” Larsen said.

“Moreover, Australia remains unequivocal in our condemnation of Hamas. This resolution should have done the same ... Hamas must lay down their arms. There can be no role for terrorists in the future governance of Gaza.”

The federal government has previously voted in favour of ceasefire resolutions and has described UNRWA as a vital provider of humanitarian services in Gaza.

It paused funding for the agency this year while the UN investigated allegations its staff had been involved in last year’s October 7 attack on Israel by Hamas, during which some 1200 people were killed and 250 taken hostage. Some 100 captives are still held inside Gaza, at least a third of whom are believed to be dead. Israel’s retaliatory military campaign has killed more than 44,500 people, according to Gaza health officials.

The government last week changed a two-decades-long voting record by voting in favour of a resolution calling on Israel to withdraw from the West Bank and Gaza as soon as possible, which drew fierce criticism from Netanyahu.

Executive Council of Australian Jewry president Daniel Aghion said the resolution was one of the “most immoral” passed by the UN in decades.

“The General Assembly is effectively demanding that Israel abandon the hostages to their fate, and allow the Hamas terrorists to re-establish themselves as the de facto rulers of Gaza,” he said.

“It is a mark of shame for Australia that our government decided to support this vote, knowing full well how wrong it is in so many ways, as was evident in the reservations expressed by the Australian representative.”

The Australia/Israel and Jewish Affairs Council said Australia had voted for a resolution at odds with its own policy because it did not rule out Hamas participating in a two-state solution or require the release of hostages.

Asked about his government’s voting record during a visit to the Jewish Museum in Sydney on Wednesday afternoon, Albanese said he had been a long-time supporter of Israel.

“But I also support Palestine having their legitimate aspirations fulfilled,” he said. “It has to be done in a way that provides security for everyone in the region. That’s my position, that’s the position of countries in the UN.”

The Australian Palestine Advocacy Network commended the government for the votes and pointed to the majorities they passed by.

“Australia’s vote today is a crucial step in standing up against the systemic oppression and brutal violence that Israel continues to inflict on the Palestinian people,” the network’s president, Nasser Mashni, said.

“While UN resolutions are an important step, they are not enough on their own. The urgency of this situation demands concrete action.”

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