Australia keen to resume Palestine aid ‘soon’: minister
As Israel signals an intention to target the last refuges in Gaza, the Australian government says it wants to restore aid to a United Nations Palestinian relief agency as soon as possible.
Ed Husic
In January, the Commonwealth joined a slate of other nations in suspending funding for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA) after Tel Aviv accused dozens of aid workers of participating in the Hamas attacks on Israel on October 7.
But as Israel’s retaliatory invasion and air strikes on the besieged enclave turn towards Rafah, pressure has mounted on the Australian government to resume aid.
Asked if it would restore funding to UNRWA, cabinet minister Ed Husic said the government was keen though it was waiting on the outcome of a UN investigation into the allegations.
“I’m very keen and I think you’ve seen the foreign minister express her keenness for this to happen as quickly as possible,” he told ABC radio on Thursday.
“I understand the UN is undertaking those investigations and as soon as those are done, the better, because we do need to have that humanitarian assistance flowing.”
Since Hamas killed 1200 Israelis in its October attack, more than 28,000 Palestinians have been killed by Tel Aviv’s offensive, according to the Gazan health ministry.
Starvation is rampant and as Israel’s military continues to move south, more than 1.5 million Gazans have been forced to take refuge in an area roughly the size of Heathrow Airport, Mr Husic said.
International opinion has begun turning on Israel with even US President Joe Biden – one of the nation’s closest allies – calling for the protection of vulnerable Palestinians.
However, Israel has remained committed to “eradicating” Hamas.
“I just cannot see how you do a credible plan to protect civilians (while) undertaking military action in that area where civilians are crammed in in that way,” Mr Husic said.
“The Israeli government cannot ignore international opinion and particularly from some of its closest allies and friends.
“There is a degree of concern that the Israeli government is not listening.”
AAP
I don’t know of other nations engaged in defending themselves in war having to develop credible plans to protect civilians, Ed Husic. And as to UNRWA, their steeped in terrorist involvement, present and past, so the Australian government should not be keen to reinstate aid.