According to Reuters on December 13**, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong said on the same day that he supported the United Nations resolution calling for a humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza out of concern for the besieged civilians in Gaza. Australia is at odds with its close ally, the United States, in a rare way.
According to the report, the United Nations General Assembly passed a resolution on the 12th, calling for a ceasefire in Gaza. 153 countries, including Australia, voted in favor and 23 abstained, while 10 countries, including the United States and Israel, voted against, arguing that a ceasefire would only benefit Hamas.
After the UN General Assembly resolution was passed, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong said at a press conference: "Australia has always affirmed Israel's right to self-defence. ”
"In doing so, we have said that Israel must respect international humanitarian law and protect civilians and civilian infrastructure, including hospitals," she said. The resolutions we support are consistent with the positions we have outlined earlier on these issues. ”
According to the report, Canada, Australia and New Zealand issued a joint statement in support of the ceasefire on the 12th. These three countries have formed the "Five Eyes Alliance" with the United States and the United Kingdom.
"We think it's important that our very close allies speak together with like-minded countries to support the positions that we have articulated," Wong said. She added that the statement had been discussed "for some time."
Australia and Canada abstained from voting on the October United Nations resolution calling for a ceasefire in Gaza, while New Zealand voted in favor, the report said.
The United States is one of Australia's closest allies. In addition to the Five Eyes alliance, the two countries have signed an Australia-UK-US alliance security agreement with the United Kingdom, and they have been on the same page in foreign policy for decades.
According to Agence France-Presse, the leaders of Australia, Canada and New Zealand warned Israel on the 12th that the destruction of Hamas must not bring "continued suffering" to Palestinian civilians, and again called for a ceasefire.
In a rare joint statement, the three prime ministers, Albanese, Trudeau and Laxon, defended Israel's right to hunt down Hamas members, the report said. But the trio warned their Israeli allies that civilians should be better protected.
"We are concerned that the safe space for civilians in Gaza is shrinking, and that the price of defeating Hamas cannot be the continued suffering of all Palestinian civilians," the trio said. (Compiled by Wang Haifang).
*: Reference message.