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)
Defining Antisemitism
(April 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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