Carr clarifies Israel comments
FOREIGN Minister Bob Carr has refuted Opposition claims that he and PM Julia Gillard are at odds in terms of their support for Israel’s operation in Gaza, reiterating that the Jewish State has the right to defend itself.
FOREIGN Minister Bob Carr has refuted Opposition claims that he and PM Julia Gillard are at odds in terms of their support for Israel’s operation in Gaza, reiterating that the Jewish State has the right to defend itself.
In an exclusive interview with The AJN, Carr said rocket attacks from Gaza were to be “condemned absolutely, without question”.
“They are wrong in principle, they’re futile, [and] they prevent any progress on a negotiated solution,” he said. “If Israel is placed under duress, Israel will return fire with fire. A nation is entitled to defend itself.
“Five million Israelis are under fire and that explains the Israeli response.”
Carr noted that 2500 rockets had been launched since 2009.
“Hamas has got to accept responsibility for that, given that it’s the elected authority in Gaza,” he said. “And in an interview I gave on AM [radio] this morning I used the expression Hamas and associated terrorist entities.”
He also clarified comments made to The Australian in which he warned Israel against what could be seen as a disproportionate response. “As a long-term friend of Israel, I don’t want Israel to be in a position where it ends up suffering because of the nature of its response,” he said.
“Ground action carries the risk that Israel might lose the international sympathy running strongly in its favour. There are the prospects of more civilian casualties among innocent Palestinians in Gaza, and that would end up reflecting poorly on Israel, notwithstanding the fact that the rocket assaults from Gaza are the source of the problem. But also there’s a serious prospect of Israeli losses, deaths, woundings and kidnappings.”
With the Palestinian Authority set to apply for non-member observer status at the UN next week, Carr said Australia would look at the wording of the draft resolution before deciding its position. He reiterated his support for a two-state solution, but said, “It’s very difficult to talk about what’s required for a two-state solution when you’ve got such a potentially explosive situation as a result of the rockets being launched from Gaza.”
Meanwhile, shadow foreign affairs minister Julie Bishop continued to accuse Carr of inconsistency. “Given that he has warned Israel that it risks a disproportionate response, he should set out precisely what he believes is a proportionate response,” she said.
GARETH NARUNSKY
Foreign Minister Bob Carr.
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