Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has decisively dismissed the pro-Palestine protest slogan “from the River to the Sea” as unhelpful to the aspirations of both Israelis and Palestinians.
Taking a clear stance in a press conference on Monday, the Prime Minister said the contentious slogan inherently opposed the two-state solution supported by his government.
“My position is very clear and the government’s position is clear and it has been a bipartisan position for a long period of time,” he said.
“The long-term solution in the Middle East requires a two-state solution: The right of Israel to continue to exist within secure borders but the right of Palestinians to have justice as well, to have self-determination and also to be able to live in security, peace and prosperity.”
The two-state solution seeks to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict by establishing one state for Jewish people and one for Palestinians.
Mr Albanese’s remarks stand in stark contrast to his Education Minister Jason Clare’s recent hesitancy to reject the politically-charged phrase.
Mr Clare declined on the weekend to take a stand on slogans which Jewish leaders have said call for the annihilation of Israel, including “intifada” and “from the River to the Sea”.
“I’ve seen people say that those words mean the annihilation of Israel. I’ve seen people say that it means the opposite. I’ve seen people say that they’re slogans that Israeli political parties have used," Mr Clare said.
The slogan, “From the River to the Sea, Palestine will be free” is used around the world by pro-Palestine protestors but has come under scrutiny for its implied erasure of Israel.
Geographically, the slogan refers to the land between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea where Israel is situated.
In his definitive statement on Monday, Mr Albanese emphasised the need for clarity in addressing the Israeli-Palestinian conflict when questioned about the “River to the Sea” phrase.
“I think the slogan that you refer to dismisses (the two-state solution), which is not in the interests of Israelis but it is not in the interests of Palestinians.”
Mr Albanese added he was “very concerned” about the state of social cohesion in Australia amid the ongoing conflict more than 12,000km away.
“There has been a rise in anti-Semitism. There has been a rise in Islamophobia. We need to make sure that people in positions of authority use that authority to... promote social cohesion.”
He reaffirmed his government’s commitment to multiculturalism and freedom of religion.
https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMixgFodHRwczovL3d3dy5za3luZXdzLmNvbS5hdS9hdXN0cmFsaWEtbmV3cy9hbnRob255LWFsYmFuZXNlLXJlYWZmaXJtcy1jb21taXRtZW50LXRvLXR3b3N0YXRlLXNvbHV0aW9uLWFtaWQtY29udHJvdmVyc3ktb3Zlci1yaXZlci10by10aGUtc2VhLXByb3Rlc3Qtc2xvZ2FuL25ld3Mtc3RvcnkvOThkMGY3YjhmMDE3MmVkMWMyNjBkODBhNGU5YWYxNDTSAQA?oc=5
2024-05-06 05:10:56Z
CBMixgFodHRwczovL3d3dy5za3luZXdzLmNvbS5hdS9hdXN0cmFsaWEtbmV3cy9hbnRob255LWFsYmFuZXNlLXJlYWZmaXJtcy1jb21taXRtZW50LXRvLXR3b3N0YXRlLXNvbHV0aW9uLWFtaWQtY29udHJvdmVyc3ktb3Zlci1yaXZlci10by10aGUtc2VhLXByb3Rlc3Qtc2xvZ2FuL25ld3Mtc3RvcnkvOThkMGY3YjhmMDE3MmVkMWMyNjBkODBhNGU5YWYxNDTSAQA
Bagikan Berita Ini
0 Response to "Anthony Albanese reaffirms commitment two-state solution amid controversy over “river to the sea” protest slogan - Sky News Australia"
Post a Comment