Penny Wong has lashed the Greens for using “misinformation to enable division” after a fiery clash during Senate estimates over the fate of more than 400 Palestinians granted Australian visas to leave Gaza and the West Bank.
The Foreign Minister was grilled over conditions imposed by Israel during Thursday’s estimates, as well as co-ordination between Australia and COGAT, the Israeli Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories.
Greens Senator David Shoebridge claimed COGAT had, in a Facebook post, informed Palestinians using the “third country exit mechanism” to contact their embassy and urge that they relay a withdrawal request to the Israeli agency.
However, Senator Wong said it was “not right for you (Senator Shoebridge to suggest) all you have to do is send a fax”, and the process was considerably more complex, including precise co-ordination regarding transit through Israel.
“It is wrong to assert that in an environment such as this, that a single request to COGAT is all that is required … it’s not right for you to say all you have to do is fax a form, that is not the nature of these transits.
Foreign Affairs Minister Senator Penny Wong hold was grilled over conditions imposed by Israel on Palestinians. Picture: NewsWire / Martin Ollman.
Senator Wong went on to shame “incorrect assertions that you (Senator Shoebridge) make in order to foment division.
“Really, in the context of what we have seen in this country, maybe it’s time the Greens actually tried to work (to) bring people together rather than divide people.
“You see political benefit in division, and you’re happy to use misinformation to enable that division.”
Senator Wong continued: “It is unfair for you to use people’s grief and people’s anger and people’s pain by suggesting all the government has to do is send a fax.”
After claiming Senator Shoebridge was “peddling false hope” and that is behaviour was “unconsciable”, Senator Wong reaffirmed her support for a two-state solution.
“The world is not as we wish it to be,” Senator Wong said.
“We wish there were two states, and we wish there was peace.
“We wish the people of Palestine were able to live in security behind agreed borders, and there was peace with the people of Israel.
“We all wish – well, I wish that.”
The hearing was told the Australian government consulted with a range of agencies on the departure of Australian citizens from Gaza, as well as permanent residents and immediate family members, of which 415 had left.
A departmental official said a list of departees was compiled and then sent by post to officials in the Jordanian capital Amman and, once approval is received, then forwarded on to COGAT via post in the Israeli capital Tel Aviv.
Israel then reviews the list and advises of a date of movement from Gaza.
Australia requests the assistance of a “UN organisation or like-minded country” to support in logistics, ultimately arriving in Jordan where they have 72 hours to depart.
For his part, Senator Shoebridge condemned the actions of Israel in the West Bank and Gaza, and accused the government again of exporting parts for F-35 warplanes used in the bombing of the Gaza Strip.
He claimed Senator Wong had “deliberately misheard” his questions.
Senator David Shoebridge condemned the actions of Israel in the West Bank and Gaza. Picture: NewsWire / Martin Ollman.
‘More required’ before Palestine ambassador
Later, Senator Shoebridge also questioned Senator Wong over the government’s failure to appoint a Palestinian ambassador despite recognising Palestine last year.
Australia’s former ambassador to Israel Dr Ralph King said Australia had “set clear expectations” around reform to the Palestinian Authority, which has nominal control over Palestinian-administered areas of the occupied West Bank.
Those requirements, which needed to be met before diplomatic relations were established, including public commitment to recognising Israel’s right to exist, calling on Hamas to disarm, and commitment to fresh elections.
The last presidential election in the Palestinian Territories was in 2005.
The PA also needed to reform its governance, financial transparency, and abolish any system of payments to families of prisoners and martyrs.
“Some progress on that has been made, but we remain in dialogue with the and for the time being, ewe are not satisfied that sufficient (actions) has been done on that promised material,” Dr King said.
For her part, Senator Wong said Australia could not resolve strife in the Middle East, but “can contributed towards breaking the cycle of violence”.
“We believe that only happens through a two-state solution,” she said.
“There are commitments that the Palestinian Authority has made … we are tying progress on practical implementation of recognition to progress against those commitments, including the setting up of diplomatic missions.
“But, we are not simply sitting and waiting.
“We understand, that we need to do work with others to build the capacity of the Palestinian Authority for strong and credible governance, that is essential to building peace. We are working with the UK and Canada on this.”
