John Kilcullen
(For the history see my 2011 talk to a service club, "The
Israel/Palestinian Conflict: How did it begin? Will it ever end?")
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) undertook to comply 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 that,
whatever position Israel took, the US and other countries would recognise
Palestine (after the three conditions were met), and recognition would be 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).
The first step might be to allow Israel to annex the Palestinian
territories. To achieve (2) might 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 to the
condition of Palestinians. Israel absolutely rejects
the possibility of a "two-state solution". 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.
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 anything 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
Most recent:
Messages to Senator Wong and other
Parliamentarians (17 October 2024, etc.)
Justifying Israel's Actions in Gaza (August 2025)
Recognition of a state of Palestine (August
2025)
President Herzog visit (25 December 2025)
Segal report and Australian Universities (March
2026)
Earlier:
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)
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