Australian PM Anthony Albanese told the UN General Assembly that Israel “must accept its share of responsibility” for the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza, citing the deaths of “tens of thousands of civilians”, journalists, and an aid worker [Getty]
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese cited an Australian aid worker killed in Gaza, along with journalists and “tens of thousands of civilians”, in a speech at the United Nations where dozens of leaders met on Monday to promote Palestinian statehood.
Australia, Britain and Canada on Sunday recognised Palestine, joining more than three-quarters of the 193 UN members who already recognise a Palestinian state, a move opposed by the United States and Israel.
“The Israeli Government must accept its share of responsibility” for the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, where tens of thousands of civilians had been killed, he said.
“Aid workers have been killed trying to deliver humanitarian assistance, including Australian Zomi Frankcom,” he said, noting also the journalists “killed trying to bring the truth to light”.
Albanese’s centre-left Labor government had decided to recognise Palestine based on commitments from the Palestinian Authority that Hamas hand over its weapons and have no role in a future state, and that elections are held, he added.
Albanese is attending the United Nations General Assembly for the first time.
Despite earlier hopes the trip would provide an opportunity for his first meeting with Trump, an important security ally, Australia did not appear among the countries listed by the White House on Monday for bilateral meetings in New York.
Australian media outlets on Tuesday reported this as a “snub”, after Trump a week earlier told reporters that Albanese would be coming for a visit to see him “very soon”.