Foreign Minister Penny Wong has signed a statement with 20 other nations that condemns Israel’s illegal plan to build a major new settlement block in the West Bank.
Breaking international law, Israel’s E1 project would cut the West Bank from East Jerusalem and present a barrier to Palestinians seeking to move from one part of the territory to another. It would also prevent the creation of a Palestinian state.
The statement from Wong said the Israeli plan for the E1 area of east Jerusalem was “unacceptable and a violation of international law”.
“We condemn this decision and call for its immediate reversal in the strongest terms.”
“[Israeli defence minister Bezalel] Smotrich says this plan will make a two-state solution impossible by dividing any Palestinian state and restricting Palestinian access to Jerusalem. This brings no benefits to the Israeli people. Instead, it risks undermining security and fuels further violence and instability, taking us further away from peace.
Wong encouraged the government of Israel to “urgently retract” their plan and said that “unilateral action by the Israeli government undermines our collective desire for security and prosperity in the Middle East.”
Wong was joined in this sentiment by the foreign ministers of Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, the UK and the European Commission.
The joint condemnation is a move expected to further enrage Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his right wing-dominated ruling coalition.
Since Australia’s decision to recognise Palestinian statehood, Netanyahu has loudly criticised Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. In an interview on Sky News, Netanyahu called Albanese a “weak” leader who had “forever tarnished” his reputation.
There’s been a noticeable international shift against Netanyahu and his government by other nations over the past month, with many planning to recognise a Palestinian state at the United Nations General Assembly in New York next month.
Before the release of the joint statement about Israel’s plans to expand its settlements in the West Bank, it also emerged that the Australian government had signed a letter with 26 other countries demanding that the international press be given immediate access to Gaza.
Israel has killed at least 226 journalists and media workers since it launched its war on Gaza, according to the International Federation of Journalists, as international journalists continue to be locked out of the territory.