"Palestine recognition: necessary but insufficient" : Shared by Niloufar Pourzand

Professor Ben Saul, United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms while Countering Terrorism & Chris Sidoti, human rights lawyer, advocate and investigator, Addressed the National Press Club of Australia.

Summary In this address titled "Palestinian Recognition: Necessary but Insufficient," international law experts Professor Ben Saul and Chris Sidoti discuss Australia's foreign policy on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Professor Saul argues that recognizing a Palestinian state is a necessary, long-overdue "circuit breaker" that aligns Australia with international law and tips the balance towards Palestinian statehood, given the failure of negotiations and Israel's denial of self-determination [02:25]. Mr. Sidoti, however, stresses that recognition is insufficient, demanding that Australia must honor its legal obligations, particularly under the Genocide Convention, by taking concrete action [23:05]. He outlines steps such as a complete review of relations with Israel, prohibiting military-related trade (including components for F-35 jets), and sanctioning individuals responsible for war crimes [26:20].

Key Quotes

• "Australia was amongst the first countries to recognize Israel and is amongst the last to recognize Palestine, bringing us into the international mainstream." - Professor Ben Saul [01:43]

• "Recognition is a long overdue circuit breaker when everything else has failed." - Professor Ben Saul [02:25]

• "Recognition by three-quarters of the world is powerful evidence that Palestine is considered close enough to meeting the legal criteria to be regarded as a state, even under occupation." - Professor Ben Saul [06:18]

• "The primary question is what are our legal obligations under international law and what must we do to meet them." - Chris Sidoti [23:05]

• "If components that are being manufactured here in Australia are finding their way into F-35 aircraft being used by the Israeli Air Force to bomb the hell out of Gaza, we share responsibility." - Chris Sidoti [28:42]

• "The most unique aspect of what has happened in Gaza... is that people, the Palestinians in Gaza, have no means of escape." - Chris Sidoti [46:55]