Executive Council of Australian Jewry issues major warning to Penny Wong on Palestine vote

A major vote on Palestinian statehood could be held as early as Friday, with one group cautioning Penny Wong against doing one thing.

Foreign Minister Penny Wong has been urged to vote against a resolution calling for Palestine to be admitted as a full member of the UN.

The Executive Council of Australian Jewry wrote to Senator Wong on Tuesday ahead of the upcoming vote of the UN General Assembly (UNGA), warning “acts of mass terrorism” should not be rewarded.

“It is clear that a Palestinian state cannot be declared into existence. It must exist in fact. This requires the establishment of institutions which are performing all of the functions of a state on a sustainable basis,” the ECAJ wrote.

The UNGA could vote as early as Friday on a draft resolution that would recognise Palestine as qualified to become a full UN member.

The vote would act as a signal of how much support Palestinians have for their bid, which was knocked back in the UN Security Council last month by the US.

An application must be approved by the 15-member council before the wider general assembly has its say.

Foreign Minister Penny Wong has been urged to vote against the UN resolution. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman

The letter to the Foreign Minister, signed by ECAJ president, Daniel Aghion and co-chief executives Peter Wertheim and Alex Ryvchin, argued that voting to admit Palestine as a full member to the UN without a functioning state was inconsistent with past practice.

“It would enshrine into legitimacy the present chaotic, fissiparous and dysfunctional nature of Palestinian political bodies and would thus make a two-state solution less achievable. It would not alter the realities on the ground,” it said.

“Instead, it would signal to the Palestinians (and the world) that acts of mass terrorism should be rewarded.”

Senator Wong’s office has been contacted for comment. She has previously said a “pathway out of the endless cycle of violence” in the region can only come with recognition of “a Palestinian state alongside the state of Israel”.

Australia has yet to see the wording of the resolution. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman

When asked earlier in the week, Anthony Albanese said how Australia voted would not be revealed until later in the week.

“We’ll address issues when we address them, and we’ll announce them when we’ve made decisions, when we’ve seen the texts of any resolutions. If you’ve got it, I’d be happy to see it,” the Prime Minister said.

It’s understood Australia’s position will depend on the wording of the resolution.

In the letter to Senator Wong, the ECAJ referred to a speech given by Julia Gillard in Abu Dhabi in 2014 in which she said “the key to peace for Israelis and Palestinians is a simple declarative statement by Palestinian leaders that they accept Israel as a Jewish state”.

“We urge this government to vote against the resolution in the General Assembly and instead to be guided by the principles of the Gillard doctrine as a sincere and meaningful action towards mutual recognition, peace and justice for both sides,” it said.

Originally published as Executive Council of Australian Jewry issues major warning to Penny Wong on Palestine vote