‘No running commentary’: Albanese sidesteps Trump’s Gaza plan
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has sidestepped criticism of Donald Trump’s radical plan to take control of Gaza, declaring he would not provide a running commentary on the US president as both Jewish and Palestinian advocates blasted the proposal.
Trump called for the US to take control of Gaza, and Gaza’s 2 million residents to be relocated to neighbouring countries such as Egypt and Jordan, while appearing alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese told reporters that Australia’s support for a two-state solution remained unchanged. Credit: James Brickwood
As he was peppered with questions about Trump’s comments at a press conference in Canberra, Albanese said: “I’ve said before that I don’t intend to have a running commentary on the president of the United States’ statements.”
He added: “Australia supports, on a bipartisan basis, a two-state solution in the Middle East.”
Asked whether Australia could still condemn violations of international law by nations such as Russia and China while remaining silent about Trump’s Gaza remarks, Albanese said: “Not at all … what I’ve said is we will be consistent, as we are.”
Opposition foreign affairs spokesman David Coleman said: “We will await further details on President Trump’s proposals.”
Accusing the government of abandoning Israel at the United Nations, he said: “We all want to see peace for people in the Middle East and the government should be working with our allies, the United States and Israel.”
When asked about Trump’s call to “clean out” Gaza and resettle Palestinians in other countries, Coleman told this masthead last week: “That’s not our policy.”
Labor MP Maria Vamvakinou, a long-time supporter of Palestinian rights, said she was alarmed by Trump’s “crass and bombastic” comments.
“I wish the US president would be more measured and serious about such an important and tragic issue,” she said. “Palestinians want to remain in their homeland; it defines who they are.”
Credit: Matt Golding
Rateb Jneid, president of the Australian Federation of Islamic Councils, blasted Trump’s proposal as “unacceptable and catastrophic”, saying: “We call upon the Australian government to respond with more than mere disapproval. It is time for Australia to unconditionally recognise the state of Palestine and oppose any actions that undermine its sovereignty.”
Australia Palestine Advocacy Network president Nasser Mashni said: “Australia must not sit by in silence while the leaders of the US and Israel openly and in broad daylight incite genocidal violence against, and the permanent displacement of, Palestinians.
“Trump’s proposals are not just reckless – they are a calculated attack on Palestinians and on humanity.”
Australia/Israel & Jewish Affairs Council executive director Colin Rubenstein said “fresh thinking” was needed in Gaza and welcomed Trump’s offer to help rebuild the devastated enclave.
He added that some of Trump’s proposals were “controversial and potentially quite problematic”, describing the prospect of forcibly evacuating Palestinians from Gaza as “unthinkable”.
Executive Council of Australian Jewry president Daniel Aghion said the group supported the “comprehensive reconstruction of Gaza as a peaceful, prosperous territory as was envisaged following Israel’s unilateral withdrawal in 2005”.
“However, the question of whether some Gazans choose to remain in the territory through this process, temporarily relocate or are permanently absorbed by neighbouring states is ultimately a decision for those affected most of all, Gaza’s civilian population,” he said.
Max Kaiser, executive officer of the progressive Jewish Council of Australia, said Trump’s proposal “reflects the most extreme and dangerous elements of Israel’s far-right agenda”.
“We call on the Australian government to reject this dangerous rhetoric and reaffirm its commitment to international law and Palestinian self-determination,” he said.
Liberal senator Dave Sharma, who was once Australia’s ambassador to Israel, said Trump’s remarks should not always be taken literally, adding he did not believe Trump’s Gaza proposal was “the final script”.
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