Exclusive: Labor advised to take ‘more active’ approach five months before announcement, documents show
Foreign affairs officials privately urged the Australian government to take “a more active” stance against Israeli settlements five months before an announcement that the Coalition claimed was driven by “factional bosses”.that it was “strengthening its opposition to settlements by affirming they are illegal under international law and a significant obstacle to peace”.Because of the timing, the Coalition decried the “backroom decisions” as being entirely driven by internal party politics.
“Tensions in Israel and the Palestinian Territories are increasing, with further violence, an expansion of Israel’s settlement enterprise and more civilian deaths expected,” the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade warned in a 27 February brief. According to the same submission, settlements are “a significant impediment to a future Palestinian state”, and the EU and UK “are explicit in calling settlements illegal … and do so regularly”.
Dfat summarised the purpose of this call as being to “reiterate that Australia has been a longstanding friend to Israel; and convey messages on escalating violence, settlements and other unilateral actions that undermine the prospects of peace”.
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