Australia: Labor Party to Recognize Palestinian Statehood

The Labor Party (LP) of Australia ended its annual conference in Adelaide, Australia on Tuesday, declaring that it would recognize a "Palestinian state" if it comes to power in the federal elections of May 2019.

RELATED:
Australia Recognizes West Jerusalem as Israel's Capital

The LP Conference resolution supports “the recognition and right of Israel and Palestine to exist as two states within secure and recognized borders” and “calls on the next Labor government to recognize Palestine as a state,” as reported by The Guardian.

During his speech at the LP annual meeting, Tony Burke, a politician who has been a member of the House of Representatives since 2004, said that the Labor Party recognized ‘the Palestinians also deserve a land of their own.’

“Both Israelis and Palestinians have a right to be safe. Today’s resolution focuses on one issue. On recognition... we are calling on the next Labor government to recognise the state of Palestine” said Burke and added that “we are now looking at what is currently the longest military occupation, we have reached the point where the arguments to wait have become thinner and the arguments for recognition have become stronger.”

The Laborist announcement came a few days after Australia's Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced that his country recognized West Jerusalem as Israel's capital. However, he added, the Australian embassy would not move from Tel Aviv until there is a peace agreement.

The Australian government's announcement was immediately qualified by the Labor Party as a risky decision that responded to Morrison administration's interests but did not reflect the national interest.

"Recognizing West Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, while the Australian embassy is still installed in Tel Aviv, is nothing more than a gesture," the Labor Party said in a statement reported El Independiente, adding that "it is a totally risky decision that does not bring any benefit."