LATIKA M BOURKE: Australia-Israel intelligence relationship not in doubt after Palestine recognition, Burke

Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke says there has been no change to Australia’s intelligence-sharing relationship with Israel, following Australia’s decision to recognise Palestinian statehood.

On Sunday, three of the Five Eyes intelligence-sharing countries, Australia, Canada and the United Kingdom, formally recognised Palestine as a state, prompting Israel to vow to increase its illegal settlements in the West Bank, pending further retaliation.

An angry Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu threatened to continue with illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank and declared a Palestinian state would never happen.

Asked by The Nightly if Australia’s change in policy would affect intelligence sharing between Israel and Australia, Mr Burke played down the prospect.

“I don’t talk about intelligence relationships,” Mr Burke said.

“All I can say is that all the different partners that we’ve been working with for years, we continue to work with, and we keep Australians safe as a way of doing that.”

Australia, Canada and the UK’s move came a day earlier than expected, ahead of the French and Saudi-led conference on a two-state solution at the United Nations General Assembly in New York. Up to ten countries are expected to recognise Palestinian statehood, including France, Belgium, Malta and Portugal.

The move has angered the Trump Administration with more than two dozen Republican senators warning of punitive measures and sparked a furious response from Israel.

Mr Netanyahu said the creation of a Palestinian “terror state” would never happen and vowed to expand illegal Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank, which is separate to Gaza with more retaliatory action to come.

“It’s not going to happen,” Mr Netanyahu said in a video message.

“There will be no Palestinian state to the west of the Jordan River.

“For years, I have prevented the creation of that terror state, against tremendous pressure, both domestic and from abroad.

“We have done this with determination and with astute statesmanship.

“Moreover, we have doubled the Jewish settlement in Judea and Samaria, and we will continue on this path.

“The response to the latest attempt to force upon us a terror state in the heart of our land will be given after my return from the United States. Stand by.”

Mr Netanyahu is set to address the UNGA on Friday.

Australia’s stance, propelled by Israel’s bombardment of Gaza and the humanitarian catastrophe that has unfolded in the enclave, has led to a deep rift between the prime ministers of Australia and Israel.

Last month, Israel kicked out Australia’s diplomats operating in Ramallah in the West Bank in retaliation for its policy change to recognise Palestine before any peace is brokered.

French President Emmanuel Macron told CBS’s Face the Nation that it was the Israeli Knesset’s decision in July to vote in favour of annexing the West Bank that prompted his decision to gather international support for recognising Palestine at the September UN high-level meeting.

“It was the best evidence of the fact that they don’t want to fight against Hamas,” President Macron said.

“There is no Hamas in the West Bank, they just want to destroy the existing political bodies and the possibility of a two-state.

“And I really believe this is a terrible mistake for Israel itself.”

President Macron said the 48 hostages still held captive in Gaza by Hamas after the October 7 attacks would have to be returned before any embassy would be opened. He also foreshadowed an international peacekeeping force operating in Gaza, financed by Jordan and Egypt with input from Israel, operating under a UN framework.

Wong, Albo vague on details

But when pressed for details by The Nightly about what borders Australia was recognising, including where any embassy would be located and when, Mr Albanese and Foreign Minister Penny Wong said those details were still to be worked out.

“All of those matters are to be determined as time comes. We’re not about to open an embassy, to be very clear,” Mr Albanese said.

“What we are doing, without getting ahead of ourselves.

“What we are doing is recognising is the State of Palestine.

“Those matters will be determined by the conditions that we’ve put up.”

Foreign Minister Penny Wong said the governments recognising Palestine were all facing the same questions.

“All of the legitimate questions of detail you have, they confront all of us, which is why we are taking this one step at a time, and ultimately, we have to make a decision as a country, do we want to contribute to this pathway to peace alongside the international community here at the United Nations, or not?” Senator Wong said.

She said the changes that Australians would notice for now were ones made to official websites.

“For now, what we will do is ensure that Australian Government communications are updated to reflect this formal recognition, official documents, public-facing websites, government systems, policies and operating procedures will refer to the State of Palestine, or Palestine, rather than the OPTs,” she said, using the acronym for Occupied Palestinian Territories.

“Further steps will follow, such as establishing embassies to follow progress on reforms committed to by the Palestinian Authority.”

US Senator Lindsay Graham added his voice to the growing number of Republicans slamming the move, saying the Western leaders awarding Palestine statehood were recognising a dangerous fantasy.

“Western Democracies recognising a mythical Palestinian state – one without leaders, one without borders, one without a capital and one without accommodations for Israel’s security – is truly rewarding the largest slaughter of Jews since WWII,” Senator Graham said on X.