MHR Debate on 'Palestinian-Israeli conflict'

See 4 speeches in Hansard (go to pp106-111 of the volume) on a Private Members’ Business motion by Ms Vamvakinou (my own emphasis added):

That the House:
(1) recognises the social, economic and human cost of the current Palestinian-Israeli conflict;
(2) notes the broader implications of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict in terms of regional stability as well as diplomatic relations in the Middle East;
(3) condemns all forms of violence as an obstacle to peace;
(4) supports the renewal of diplomatic efforts to negotiate a just and lasting peace and recognises the efforts of the Quartet-led Road Map to peace in the Middle East;
(5) notes the Middle East peace initiative formally announced by Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Abdullah during a meeting of the Arab League Summit in Beirut in March 2003;
(6) acknowledges that a negotiated settlement to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict must necessarily involve both parties reaching agreement on final status issues, including the status of Jerusalem, the Right of Return for Palestinian refugees, settlements, security, borders and water;
(7) supports the Australian Government’s recent decision to increase Australia’s development assistance program to the Palestinian Territories; and
(8) believes that Australia has an important role to play as a middle power in encouraging peace initiatives between Palestinians and Israelis that are consistent with Australia’s commitment to multilateral diplomacy, responsible international citizenship and the principles of international law.

The motion is obviously biased against Israel. 3 of the speeches are fairly critical of Israel, by

• Maria Vamvakinou (Labor, Calwell VIC, chair of the Parliamentary Palestine Friendship Group);
• Sussan Ley (Liberals, Farrer NSW, former chair and current deputy chair of the Parliamentary Palestine Friendship Group) and
• Melissa Parke (Labor, Fremantle WA).

The one very good speech is by Stuart Robert (Liberals, Fadden QLD).