Media Releases

Media Release

The Australia/Israel & Jewish Affairs Council (AIJAC) has welcomed the Federal Government’s decision to vote “no” on six anti-Israel resolutions on November 29, 2018 at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).

AIJAC executive-director Colin Rubenstein said: “Every November and December the United Nations General Assembly rubberstamps 20 anti-Israel resolutions. To its great credit, Australia has  shown principled leadership by opposing biased resolutions that do not further the prospects of peace and actively entrenches the Palestinian leadership’s ongoing rejection of the painful compromises both sides need to make to achieve a two-state outcome.”

The six UNGA resolutions voted on were: “The Syrian Golan,” “Jerusalem,” “Division for Palestinian Rights of the Secretariat,” “Special information programme on the question of Palestine of the Department of Public Information of the Secretariat,” “Peaceful settlement of the question of Palestine,” and “Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People.”

According to Dr. Rubenstein, the government should receive particular commendation for changing its votes this year from “abstain” to “no” on three crucial resolutions – “The Syrian Golan,” “Jerusalem” and “Peaceful settlement of the question of Palestine.”

“Australia has made a principled decision in recognition of the yawning chasm that exists between the language of these resolutions and the reality on the ground in the Middle East.

“No one genuinely interested in peace and stability could vote in favour of a resolution demanding Israel relinquish control over the Golan Heights to the Assad regime which has been responsible for the mass murder of 500,000 of its own citizens in Syria.

Likewise, Australia has recognised the inherent wickedness in an offensive statement on Jerusalem that obliterates 3,000 years of unbroken Jewish history and rights in that eternal city. Not to mention the ludicrous claims that Israel hinders freedom of access to all faiths, when Israel has let the leaders of the Christian and Muslim communities run their holy sites since 1967.

By changing our vote on the ‘Peaceful resolution of the Palestinian Question’, Australia has called out this resolution’s Orwellian doublespeak which holds only Israel responsible for the lack of peace since 1948 and ignores ongoing Palestinian incitement to carry out and reward acts of terror against Israelis. There is nothing demanding the Palestinian Authority return to the negotiating table they abandoned in 2014 and it fails to condemn Hamas for its genocidal plans for Israel.”

For additional information, contact Dr. Colin Rubenstein on 0418-339-721 or AIJAC on (03)-9681-6660.