Palestine and Israel
John Kilcullen
Some years ago, in the early years of the Obama administration when
things seemed more hopeful, I suggested (see pages
below) that Australia, the US and other nations should offer to
recognise Palestine as a state and support its admission to the UN
(via art.4
of the UN Charter) as a full member as soon as (1) a newly-elected
Palestinian government (2) committed itself to compliance with
the obligations of international law and (3) produced a credible
plan for controlling its territory. This was an alternative
to the approach being followed at that time, according to which
international recognition of Palestine would be at the end
of a "peace process" of bilateral negotiation between Israel and
the Palestinians -- a process that gave Israel a veto, which it
would always use. The alternative approach I then advocated meant
recognition of Palestine (after the three conditions were met) followed
by negotiations between the states of Palestine and Israel
(see here).
That approach seems impossible now, after the attacks of October 7
and the destruction of Gaza. It is very clear that the Israeli
government will use overwhelming military force to prevent the
formation of any Palestinian state, even to prevent Palestinian
elections. It seems to me now that the (rather distant) goal should
be a single multi-cultural state of Israel/Palestine,
within the borders of League of Nations mandated Palestine. This
would mean (1) incorporating all of the former League of Nations
mandated Palestine, including what are now "the occupied
territories" together with what is now Israel, into a single state
(maybe with a double name, "Israel/Palestine"), (2) giving full and
equal political rights to everyone living within that state, and (3)
establishing suitable institutions and laws to enable all cultural
groups to live together (perhaps like Canada's Charter).
Bringing this about would require UN Security Council action backed
by strong sanctions, such as were used to end apartheid in South
Africa.
But the immediate goal must be cessation of the death and
destruction that Israel and West Bank settlers are inflicting in
Gaza and the West Bank. Stopping this requires, I believe, strong
action, including the threat of military action, from the UN
Security Council (see email to Senator Wong).
This requires a change in the attitude of the United States, since
the US would use
its veto in support of Israel. Australia should be working to
persuade President Trump that support for Israel is no longer (if it
ever was) in the interest of the US. Meanwhile Australia and other
countries should bring to bear against Israel whatever sanctions
they can.
The attack on Gaza (and settler attacks in the West Bank) will not
be stopped by recognising a state of Palestine as as part of a peace
process in support of a two-state solution (which seems to be current
Australian government policy). There is no point in
"recognising" a state that does not exist. Recognising it will not
bring it into existence. It has been recognised for years by 140
out of 193 UN member states, and that has made no difference.
A state of Palestine never will exist, because Israel will use
military force to prevent it from coming into existence. (See my
comments on recognition.) Israel
absolutely rejects
the possibility of a "two-state solution".
But even if a Palestinian state were eventually possible, that
would not stop the death and destruction going on NOW.
It is not true that Australia is too small and
insignificant a country to do anything about the actions of Israel
and the US in Palestine. Without US money, armaments and diplomatic
support, the government of Israel could not continue its present
conduct. Australia is supposed to be one of America's best allies.
The Australian Government is pouring money into the US via AUKUS,
the US has bases in Australia -- do they after all take no notice of
what Australian governments say? In any case, the United Nations was
designed so that even a small and insignificant country can put its
concerns about world peace before the security council, without
needing the permission of powerful countries. Australia should not
do nothing to save the US from the embarrassment of
using its veto.
It is also not true that Israel/Palestine is "distant" from
Australia: Indonesia and Malaysia are neighbors who care about
Palestine, many residents of Australia care. If Australia is a
multi-cultural country citizens cannot be expected not to care about
what happens to people in other parts of the world.
Pages on Palestine and Israel
Emails to
Kevin Rudd. 2006-7
A
"Kosovan Solution" for Palestine (Real Clear World,
18 Feb 2009)
Two
States Now: The Case for Unilateral U.S. Recognition of Palestine,
(World Politics Review, 11 May 2009).
Palestine:
Another
Approach (World Politics Review, 20 Jan 2010. Longer version.)
The
Israel/Palestine Conflict: How did it begin? Will it ever end?
2011 [The misery in Palestine is a legacy of the British Empire.]
Recognition of a
State of Palestine
30 Jan 2013 (paper handed to Foreign Minister, Bob Carr)
Palestine:
The Next Few Months are Critical (Eureka Street,
7 July 2014)
Email to Senator Wong
(17 October 2024)
Justifying Israel's Actions in Gaza (August
2025)
Recognition of a state of Palestine
(August 2025)
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