The prime ministers of Australia, Canada and New Zealand have declared {that a} ceasefire in Gaza is “needed desperately” and urged Israel to “listen to the concerns of the international community”.
In a strongly worded joint assertion issued on Friday, the three leaders mentioned they have been “gravely concerned about the prospect of further escalation across the region”, together with between Hezbollah and Israel.
The Australian prime minister, Anthony Albanese, joined with Justin Trudeau of Canada and Christopher Luxon of New Zealand to warn that additional hostilities would “put tens of thousands of civilians in Lebanon and Israel at risk”.
They mentioned an escalation of battle throughout Israel’s northern border with Lebanon would have “disastrous consequences” for each international locations, and that “only makes a ceasefire in Gaza more urgent”.
Friday’s assertion urged “all involved actors to exercise restraint and de-escalate”.
It additionally included some robust language directed at Israel within the wake of final week’s worldwide court docket of justice ruling that the continued occupation of territory Israel seized in 1967, together with the West Financial institution, was unlawful beneath worldwide legislation.
“We call on Israel to respond substantively to the ICJ’s advisory opinion, and ensure accountability for ongoing acts of violence against Palestinians by extremist settlers, reverse the record expansion of settlements in the West Bank which are illegal under international law, and work towards a two-state solution,” the three prime ministers mentioned.
So far, the Israeli authorities has labelled the ICJ ruling as “not legally binding” and “blatantly one-sided”.
Friday’s assertion displays shared issues amongst Australia, Canada and New Zealand relating to the toll of the struggle in Gaza and the danger of escalation throughout the Center East.
These international locations are all members of the 5 Eyes western intelligence alliance, together with the US and the UK.
It was the third time the prime ministers of Australia, Canada and New Zealand have issued a joint assertion about developments within the Center East.
In December, the identical leaders pressed for “a sustainable ceasefire”. In February, they spoke out towards the prospect of an Israeli floor offensive in Rafah in southern Gaza.
The brand new assertion on Friday described the scenario in Gaza as “catastrophic” and mentioned the human struggling was “unacceptable” and “cannot continue”.
The three prime ministers mentioned they remained “unequivocal in our condemnation of Hamas for the atrocities of October 7 and ongoing acts of terror”, urging the group to “lay down its arms and release all hostages”.
The prime ministers mentioned Israel “must listen to the concerns of the international community”, noting that the safety of civilians was “paramount and a requirement under international humanitarian law”.
“Palestinian civilians cannot be made to pay the price of defeating Hamas. It must end,” the assertion mentioned.
The prime ministers mentioned they stood absolutely behind “the comprehensive ceasefire deal” that was outlined by the US president, Joe Biden, in late Could and subsequently endorsed by the UN safety council.
They known as on all events “to agree to the deal” and warned that any delay in securing a ceasefire would “only see more lives lost”.
Albanese, Trudeau and Luxon reiterated that they have been “committed to working towards an irreversible path to achieving a two-state solution, where Israelis and Palestinians can live securely within internationally recognised borders”.
“This is the only realistic option to achieve a just and enduring peace,” they mentioned.
The president of the Zionist Federation of Australia, Jeremy Leibler, criticised the assertion. He mentioned any try to stress Israel “to end the war unilaterally only serves to embolden Hamas and prolong the war”.
