Anthony Albanese says Australia’s position on Gaza is ‘unchanged’ after Donald Trump suggests US should take control

Anthony Albanese has refused to endorse Donald Trump’s radical blueprint to take over the Gaza Strip, insisting Australia’s stance is unchanged.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has refused to endorse US President Donald Trump’s radical blueprint to take over the Gaza Strip, insisting that Australia still supports a two-state solution.

Mr Trump stunned Middle East experts on Wednesday when he announced a plan to take control of Gaza to ensure it can become the “Riviera of the Middle East”.

He said the Palestinian people would need to be “relocated to other countries” for the plan to work, unveiling the plan alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House.

President Trump called for nearly two million Palestinians to permanently leave Gaza for neighbouring countries and for the US to take long-term control in a sweeping break with decades of US policy.

“The US will take over the Gaza Strip,” Mr Trump said during the press conference alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House.

“I do see a long-term ownership position, and I see it bringing great stability to that part of the Middle East, and maybe the entire Middle East.”

The US President said Hamas had made Gaza a “dangerous” and “unfair” place to live, suggesting a historic turning point for the entire region.

“Gaza is a hellhole right now ... and we’re going to give people a chance to live in a beautiful community,” he said.

Donald Trump in the Oval Office. Picture: Jim Watson/AFP

What Australia says about Palestine plan

But speaking in Canberra, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said Australia’s longstanding position had not changed.

“I’ve said before that I don’t intend to have a running commentary on the President of the United States’ statements,’’ Mr Albanese began.

A testy PM then clashed with journalists as he was pushed on the question.

“Hang on. It’s not a dialogue. If you’ll let me answer,” he said.

“What I would say is that Australia’s position is the same as it was this morning, as it was last year and it was 10 years ago and it was under the Howard government.

“The Australian government supports, on a bipartisan basis, a 2-state solution in the Middle East.”

Mr Albanese was then pushed by journalists to say whether the US President had “blown that apart hasn’t he, with this statement?”

“Do you think what he’s proposing is in accordance with international law?” he was asked.

“Our position remains the same,’’ Mr Albanese replied.

“We want to see – as have Australian governments for a long period of time, going back to John Howard’s comments about the need to find a settlement to the Palestinian question.

“We’ve had a longstanding bipartisan position for a two state solution.”

“Australia supports, on a bipartisan basis, a two state solution in the Middle East.”

Asked whether Australia was prepared to send the Australian military into Gaza, Mr Albanese said there were no plans to do so.

“We have not received any request regarding the rebuilding of Gaza,” Mr Albanese said. “What we have said, though – clearly, we’ve supported a ceasefire. We’ve supported hostages being released. And we’ve supported aid getting into Gaza. There is a need to do that, and Australia is willing to assist getting aid into Gaza to provide that support.

“We have done so. That is consistent with what Australian governments have always done, which is to provide support.”

“My job is to give Australia’s position. And Australia’s position is to support a bipartisan position – one where Israelis and Palestinians can live in peace and security.”

Anthony Albanese. Picture: Martin Ollman/NewsWire

Speaking on Sky News, Liberal senator Dave Sharma said he was against “any state unilaterally going and acquiring the territory of another” but urged caution about taking Mr Trump’s words literally.

“We’ve seen comments like this about Greenland. We’ve seen comments like this about Panama,” he told Sky News.

“It seems to be the basis or the starting point for a subsequent negotiation, which is about securing US interests.”

“My own view is that Palestinian people have a right to self-determination in their own land and it has always been envisaged since the time of the first UN partition plan in the 1940s that Gaza and the West Bank would form the basis of a future Palestinian state.”

Originally published as Anthony Albanese says Australia’s position on Gaza is ‘unchanged’ after Donald Trump suggests US should take control