Australian news and politics live: Chalmers says Australia’s Palestinian recognition is about peace, not Hamas

Matt Shrivell, Madeline Cove and Kimberley Braddish
The Nightly
Chalmers: Palestinian state must be Hamas-free
Chalmers: Palestinian state must be Hamas-free Credit: The Nightly

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Kimberley Braddish

Ley slams Albanese for being ‘distracted’ by Palestinian recognition

Opposition Leader Sussan Ley has slammed Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and claims he’s ‘distracted’ by Palestinian recognition when he should be focused on Australians.

It comes as concerns grow about whether Hamas will truly be disarmed in Gaza with a new to a survey published today showing support for the Palestinian Authority stands at just 22 per cent, while nearly 60 per cent of Palestinians express support for Hamas.

“He’s clearly distracted by what he’s been talking about now for weeks with respect to Palestinian recognition that is actually not going to make the world actually not going to make the world a safer place, not going to free hostage, not going to deliver aid, not going to deliver the two-state solution,” Ms Ley told Sunrise on Wednesday morning.

“Meanwhile, Australians at home relationship, by the way, is different. In fact, the US has said with respect to this conflict between Israel and Palestine that these moves to actually make a ceasefire end of the conflict less likely. And the Prime Minister doesn’t have a relationship with his the US.

“One of the conditions is that Hamas will be dismantled and taken out, and clearly, that’s not happening, which is why the Coalition opposes this.

“There can be no recognition peace. There can be no reward for terror. And we will reverse this decision.

“This is not in the interests of the Palestinian people and it’s not in the interests of peace in the region, which we all want.”

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