Anthony Albanese refuses to comment on support for Donald Trump’s call to take over Gaza Strip
The Prime Minister deflected questions on whether he supported or condemned extraordinary calls by Donald Trump for the US to take over the Gaza Strip.
Anthony Albanese has reiterated Australia’s commitment to a two-state solution in Gaza but stopped short of condemning Donald Trump’s extraordinary statement for the US to “take over” and “level” the Gaza Strip.
Following a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Mr Trump committed to do “what is necessary” to redevelop the site, including military deployment, and claimed the US would “supply unlimited numbers of jobs and housing for the people of the area”.
“The US will take over the Gaza Strip, and we will do a job with it too,” he told reporters alongside Mr Netanyahu.
“We’ll own it and be responsible for dismantling all of the dangerous unexploded bombs and other weapons on the site.”
Peppered with questions following Mr Trump’s announcement, the Prime Minister maintained Australia supported a ceasefire, and refused to offer a “running commentary” on Mr Trump’s political agenda.
While Mr Albanese confirmed he has not received “any request regarding the rebuilding of Gaza,” he did not rule out the possibility of Australia providing military assistance to the US.
“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,” he said.
“The Australian government support, on a bipartisan basis, a two-state solution in the Middle East.”
During the tense press conference, Mr Albanese was careful not to give an opinion on Mr Trump’s call, and frequently reiterated Australia’s longstanding support for peace in the Middle East.
“We have supported a cease fire. We have supported hostages being released, and we have 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,” he said.
“We have done so and that is consistent with what Australian governments have always done, which is to provide support.”
Liberal senator Dave Sharma, who previously served as Australia’s ambassador to Israel, said he did not support “any state unilaterally going and acquiring the territory of another,” however urged caution against a literal interpretation of Mr Trump’s comments.
“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.”
Earlier on Wednesday, Greens Leader Adam Bandt has called on the Australian government to condemn Mr Trump’s comments, which he said has made “the world a less safe place”.
“This is about international law and upholding principles of a rules-based international law. This is about saying that it is not okay for one country to say that it is going to take over on another, potentially using courts,” he said.
“This is wrong, and Australia should say this is wrong.”
Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri labelled Mr Trump’s call to take over Gaza as a “recipe for creating chaos and tension”.
“Our people in the Gaza Strip will not allow these plans to pass, and what is required is to end the occupation and aggression against our people, not expel them from their land,” he said.
While Executive Council of Australian Jewry president Daniel Aghion said the peak body favoured the “comprehensive reconstruction of Gaza as a peaceful, prosperous territory,” the choice for Gazans to leave the area was a decision for its “residents”.
“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.
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