PM backs Biden’s call for Gaza civilian protection
Washington | US President Joe Biden said on Wednesday (Thursday AEDT) the Israel-Gaza crisis should have a “path toward peace” including independent states for Israelis and Palestinians and integrating Israel among its Arab neighbours.
Mr Biden said at a press conference with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese that US support for Israel was rock solid. But he cautioned that Israel should do everything in its power to protect civilians and that parties needed to think about the way forward in the region once the Gaza crisis is over.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and US President Joe Biden at their press conference. Alex Ellinghausen
Standing alongside the president, Mr Anthony Albanese announced an additional $15 million in humanitarian assistance for civilians in Gaza which has been under daily bombardment from Israel in retaliation for the Hamas militant attacks on October 7 that killed 1400 people.
“Israelis and Palestinians equally deserve to live side by side in safety, dignity and peace,” Mr Biden said.
“When this crisis is over, there has to be a vision of what comes next. And in our view, it has to be a two-state solution. It means a concentrated effort from all the parties – Israelis, Palestinians, regional partners, global leaders – to put us on a path toward peace,” Mr Biden said.
Mr Biden said he was “alarmed” by “extremist settlers” attacking Palestinians in the West Bank and accused the Israeli settlers of “pouring gasoline on fire” and “attacking Palestinians in places they’re entitled to be”.
Settler attacks have been part of swelling violence in the occupied West Bank. There have been clashes between fighters and Israeli troops and some stone-throwing protesters have been shot.
A growing chorus of nations is pushing Israel to take a humanitarian pause in its attacks on Hamas in Gaza that have killed thousands of Palestinians, many of them children. Mr Biden has strongly supported Israel following the Hamas attacks but cautioned the country to abide by democratic principles.
Mr Albanese backed Mr Biden’s stance, stressing the need to respect international law as the crisis drags on.
“In times of crisis, respect for international humanitarian law is paramount,” Mr Albanese said, “It is a recognition of our common humanity and I commend the president for his leadership that he has shown and the example that he has set.”
Mr Albanese said he was still seeking to speak with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, although he conceded such a conversation was understandably not “at the top of the list” at the moment.
During the press conference, Mr Biden cast doubt on claims by Palestinians about the number of civilians who have been killed in the Gaza Strip in the past two weeks, a number the Hamas-run Health Ministry says is more than 6500.
Mr Biden said he had “no notion” that the Palestinians were telling the truth about how many had been killed.
“I’m sure innocents have been killed, and it’s the price of waging a war,” he said. “I have no confidence in the number that the Palestinians are using.”
The press conference was part of Mr Albanese’s official visit to Washington that included a state dinner at the White House, with business and political elites among the guests. The two leaders have showcased the United States-Australia alliance which includes the AUKUS pact on supplying Australia with nuclear-powered submarines, and enhancing cooperation on technology and critical minerals.
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