Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has spoken with Palestinian Authority leader Mahmoud Abbas, condemning the Hamas attack on Israel and expressing his concern over civilian deaths in the conflict.
Mr Albanese, who is attending the Pacific Islands Forum in the Cook Islands, spoke with Mr Abbas on Thursday morning to reaffirm Australia’s support for a two-state solution.
He underlined the need for international law to be observed and for the protection of civilians in Gaza.
Mr Albanese spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu last week.
Meanwhile, former prime minister Scott Morrison has returned from his visit to Israel, which he took with ex-UK prime minister Boris Johnson.
He said Israel couldn’t step back from its assault against Hamas in Gaza.
Mr Morrison said he found it “strange” there were discussions of a ceasefire when Hamas still kept hostages and hadn’t offered up its leaders for prosecution.
“You don’t hear that in this debate,” he told 2GB radio.
“I mean, it’s just extraordinary the double standards that apply in this situation.”
Asked about the plight of Palestinian civilians, Mr Morrison said “this is a terrible war”.
“I’m not shying away from that,” he said.
The Palestinian news agency Wafa reported on its website that Mr Abbas told Mr Albanese in a phone call that what was occurring in Gaza was “a genocide” that had to be stopped immediately.
He asserted the importance of bringing in relief aid to the Gaza Strip as soon as possible and preventing the displacement of Palestinians from there or the West Bank, including Jerusalem.
President Abbas affirmed the importance of a political solution based on the international legitimacy of the United Nations for Palestinians to achieve independence and sovereignty to ensure security for everyone in the region, Wafa reported.
He urged Australia to recognise the state of Palestine, saying the plans of Israeli occupation authorities could not be accepted.
The Palestinian Authority’s power base is in the West Bank but the Gaza Strip has been controlled by Hamas, deemed a terrorist organisation by the Australian government.
Hamas gunmen killed 1400 people and took 240 hostages during an October 7 attack on Israel.
Israel has responded with an air bombardment and ground invasion seeking to oust the group from Gaza.
Palestinian officials say 10,812 Gaza residents had been killed as of Thursday.
with Reuters
