14 February 2016

Liberal MP under fire over Israel

From The AJN, 11December 2014:


LIBERAL MP Craig Laundy has been slammed after alluding to the fact that “the issues that we as a globe confront today” can be traced back to the creation of the State of Israel.
In a speech in the Federation Chamber of Parliament earlier this month supporting a motion to recognise 2014 as the International Year of Solidarity with the Palestinian people, the Member for Reid in Sydney’s western suburbs, admitted he has never been to the region but that many Palestinians “call my electorate home”.

Laundy, who is co-chair of the federal Parliamentary Friends of Palestine, said, “A people were displaced and they have been fighting for their identity ever since. That is it simply. If you look at the Middle East and the issues that we as a globe confront today, we can trace it pretty much back to this region some 60 or 70 years ago. Anyone who stands in this place and argues differently is not being fair dinkum.”
Referring to a two-state solution, Laundy said: “I believe this is used as a line to hide behind; it does not get past that. This is an issue we need to attack; we need to be real about it … for the last almost 60 years, the people of Palestine have not had a fair go.”

Asked by The AJN if her colleague’s opinions represented the party line, Minister for Foreign Affairs Julie Bishop said simply: “The Australian government’s long-standing position is that we remain committed to Israel and a Palestinian state existing side-by-side in peace and security, within internationally-recognised borders.”

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