Bishop blames Hamas
HAMAS has “failed to embrace a series of opportunities” to end the conflict in Gaza and Israel, foreign minister Julie Bishop said this week.
HAMAS has “failed to embrace a series of opportunities” to end the conflict in Gaza and Israel, foreign minister Julie Bishop said last week.
In a statement released on August 5, Bishop reiterated Israel’s right to defend itself and expressed her concern about the suffering in Gaza.
“No country should have to tolerate arbitrary and indiscriminate attacks upon its civilian population by rocket fire and infiltration through tunnels,” she said.
“However, in exercising its right to self-defence, Israel must take all necessary steps to prevent civilian casualties.”
She labelled the shelling of three United Nations schools “indefensible” and pledged Australia’s support to calls for a “full investigation into these incidents”.
But she said: “Hamas has failed to embrace a series of opportunities to end the conflict, most recently through its almost immediate violation of a humanitarian ceasefire negotiated for 1 August.
“This was a flagrant violation of an agreement reached with UN and US mediation and demonstrated a callous disregard for the welfare of the people of Gaza.”
She also welcomed the 72-hour ceasefire announced on August 5 and encouraged both Israel and Hamas to “fully commit” to and implement it.
Executive Council of Australian Jewry (ECAJ) president Robert Goot noted Bishops’s support for Israel’s right to defend itself and said she had “quite properly” called for the investigation of the shelling of the three UN schools.
“We believe however, that any judgements to be made about the circumstances of those incidents and the parties responsible, must await the outcome of those investigations,” he said.
“The ECAJ notes the Minister’s criticism of Hamas’ flagrant violation on 1 August, of the ceasefire and welcomes the recently announced 72 hour truce,” he added.
“We are entirely confident that Israel will abide by its obligations, provided that Hamas honours that arrangement.”
Meanwhile, Bishop’s Coalition colleague, communications minister Malcolm Turnbull, passionately defended Israel during an interview with ABC Radio’s Chris Uhlmann last Thursday.
Asked if Israel risks doing irreparable damage to its international standing, Turnbull replied “Israel risks extinction”.
“Israel can barely afford to lose a battle let alone a war,” he said.
“The fundamental issue that Israel faces is its fight to defend the safety of its people. As long as Hamas is firing rockets into Israel the Israeli defence force has to defend its own population.”
He continued: “People talk about Gaza as a prison. Let me tell you the real jailors of Gaza are Hamas.
“They are the people that are firing missiles from heavily built up areas filled with civilians, filled with children.”
GARETH NARUNSKY
Foreign minister Julie Bishop.
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