Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Hansard source

I note that there are processes before the ICJ and that, while people have different views, those processes are legal processes, and what we do as a responsible government is allow legal processes to take their course.

What I would say about the situation in the Middle East is that my government has been consistent. We've been consistent since the terrorist atrocity that Hamas committed on October 7 in calling that out for what it was, we've been consistent in calling for the release of hostages and we've been consistent in calling for a ceasefire and for innocent civilians to be protected.

I must say that the resolution that was carried with the support of the major parties in this House has stood the test of time quite well. It called for international law to be upheld. It called for innocent people, whether they be Israelis or Palestinians, to be protected. We have called out issues in Gaza with regard to a failure to adequately provide food and essential aid. We've called out, for example, the 'double tap' that occurred at the hospital in Khan Younis for what it was—something that saw the loss of life of journalists, doctors, nurses and people providing assistance.

We have continued to take a principled position. That has resulted in criticism from all sides of this debate, but it's the right thing to do. It's the right thing to do for the role that we play internationally. It's the right thing to do to work towards a long-term solution where both Israelis and Palestinians can live side by side in peace and security; where Israel can continue to exist as a majority Jewish state, providing a homeland for the Jewish people; and where the legitimate aspirations of the Palestinian people for their own state can be realised.

That is something that I have held onto throughout my political life and, indeed, before I came to this parliament, and that is something that our government will continue to do—continue to be a strong advocate, regardless of the criticism thrown at us and regardless of the misinformation that is put out there. For example, we do not fund or provide arms to the State of Israel. We are not a participant in this conflict. What Australians want to see are two things: they want to see the killing stop, and they want to see—whether they are Israelis or Palestinians—that the conflict is not brought here.

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