Post by zombie on Nov 28, 2012 8:35:26 GMT 11
Opposition seizes on Gillard's Palestinian backdown
Posted 55 minutes ago
Photo: Australia will abstain from the vote on whether to give the Palestinians observer status (Suhaib Salem: Reuters)
Related Story: Australia to abstain from Palestinian vote
Related Story: Ex-boyfriend defends Gillard's role in slush fund
Map: Palestinian Territory, Occupied
The Opposition says Prime Minister Julia Gillard has been severely embarrassed by her backdown on whether the Palestinian Authority should be given observer status at the United Nations.
Ms Gillard wanted Australia to vote against upgrading the status of the Palestinian Territories at the UN this week, putting herself at odds with most of her Cabinet and Caucus.
But her position changed after lobbying from senior Labor figures, including Bob Hawke and Gareth Evans, and Australia will now abstain from the vote.
It is understood Mr Evans said it would be the worst foreign affairs decision Australia had taken in 10 years if it voted no.
The US has already signalled it will vote against the proposal, while France will vote for, and Britain says it is yet to make up its mind.
But the proposal is set to sail through with the backing of the majority of the UN's 193 member states, with diplomats predicting between 11 and 15 European Union countries could back the Palestinian proposal.
The Opposition says Australia should join the US in voting no, and frontbencher Malcolm Turnbull says Labor's decision to abstain is a foreign policy blunder in the wake of Australia securing a seat on the UN Security Council.
"Isn't it so pathetically sad, the Australian Government, the Gillard Government, goes to all of this trouble and expense to get a greater voice in the United Nations, a seat on the Security Council, and its first significant vote since it won that seat on the Security Council is not to say yes or no, but to say nothing."
The decision to abstain has been widely welcomed by caucus members who say it means Australia is living up to the rhetoric it used when campaigning for a seat on the Security Council, because it is taking a different position to Israel and the United States.
"The view of the federal parliamentary Labor party is that the resolution itself does not advance the interests of peace in the Middle East, and therefore it is perfectly logical to abstain," Trade Minister Craig Emerson said.
Yeah like right a dufferent decison to Israel and the US....said at the time a sest on the UN security council was a waste of good money..
Posted 55 minutes ago
Photo: Australia will abstain from the vote on whether to give the Palestinians observer status (Suhaib Salem: Reuters)
Related Story: Australia to abstain from Palestinian vote
Related Story: Ex-boyfriend defends Gillard's role in slush fund
Map: Palestinian Territory, Occupied
The Opposition says Prime Minister Julia Gillard has been severely embarrassed by her backdown on whether the Palestinian Authority should be given observer status at the United Nations.
Ms Gillard wanted Australia to vote against upgrading the status of the Palestinian Territories at the UN this week, putting herself at odds with most of her Cabinet and Caucus.
But her position changed after lobbying from senior Labor figures, including Bob Hawke and Gareth Evans, and Australia will now abstain from the vote.
It is understood Mr Evans said it would be the worst foreign affairs decision Australia had taken in 10 years if it voted no.
The US has already signalled it will vote against the proposal, while France will vote for, and Britain says it is yet to make up its mind.
But the proposal is set to sail through with the backing of the majority of the UN's 193 member states, with diplomats predicting between 11 and 15 European Union countries could back the Palestinian proposal.
The Opposition says Australia should join the US in voting no, and frontbencher Malcolm Turnbull says Labor's decision to abstain is a foreign policy blunder in the wake of Australia securing a seat on the UN Security Council.
"Isn't it so pathetically sad, the Australian Government, the Gillard Government, goes to all of this trouble and expense to get a greater voice in the United Nations, a seat on the Security Council, and its first significant vote since it won that seat on the Security Council is not to say yes or no, but to say nothing."
The decision to abstain has been widely welcomed by caucus members who say it means Australia is living up to the rhetoric it used when campaigning for a seat on the Security Council, because it is taking a different position to Israel and the United States.
"The view of the federal parliamentary Labor party is that the resolution itself does not advance the interests of peace in the Middle East, and therefore it is perfectly logical to abstain," Trade Minister Craig Emerson said.
Yeah like right a dufferent decison to Israel and the US....said at the time a sest on the UN security council was a waste of good money..
