Premier Minister Antony Albanese has formally sought a call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyah in the coming days.
The formal request has been lodged through diplomatic channels, but a date for the conversation is yet to be set.
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“Privately, I have said to Prime Minister Netanyahu before, as I have said publicly for a long period of time, that I am a supporter of a two-state solution and there can’t be peace and security in the Middle East without there being an advance on that two-state solution,” Albanese said.
The move follows a massive pro‑Palestinian demonstration in Sydney, where an estimated 90,000 to 100,000 protestors marched across the Harbour Bridge.
Despite the size, the event remained peaceful and drew praise from Albanese and NSW authorities.
“Yesterday’s march was peaceful, and an opportunity for people to express their concern about what is happening in Gaza, and the images that we’ve seen,” he said.
“In a democracy, it’s a good thing that people peacefully express their views,” he added.
The federal government also announced an additional $20 million in humanitarian aid to Gaza, urging Israel to allow “immediate and unimpeded aid access”.
Calls for recognition of Palestinian statehood are intensifying within Labor’s ranks.
Former minister Ed Husic said the movement is “a wake-up call for Australian politics”.
“I think it’s an important signal to send,” Husic said on Monday.
“But it’s up to the PM, obviously, who’s juggling a lot of different considerations before making that call, but I think he would get massive support out of Australians if he did it today.”
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