Australian Senator Urges Its Government to Recognize Palestinian State

Canberra, MINA – Senator Lidia Thorpe urged the Australian Government to recognize the sovereignty of the State of Palestine over land illegally occupied by Israel since 1967, and called on Israel to end this illegal occupation.

“The government must recognize sovereignty abroad and at home, recognize the sovereignty of the Palestinian people over all lands taken since 1967 and must call on Israel to end its illegal occupation,” Thorpe said in a speech to the Australian Senate, as quoted from Wafa on Saturday.

Senator Thorpe also welcomed the Australian government changing language this week to recognize the occupation of the State of Palestine as illegal under international law, and called on the government “to continue on this path towards truth.”

He condemned the “violent occupation of Palestine, the brutality of the colonial power that is Israel and the state-sanctioned killing of Palestinians.”

“In 2022,” said the Australian Senator, “Israeli forces killed more than 170 Palestinians, including 53 children. Since the start of 2023, 160 people have died, including 35 children. Three of these murders happened just 4 days ago.”

“We know what it’s like in the occupied territories that only accept acts of violence so that many of the Palestinian people who are martyred defend their land, over time, without any countries helping,” he said.

“We know about apartheid, and we know about being ruled by forces that are unable to acknowledge the truth.”

“Nearly 140 countries including the Vatican have recognized Palestine as a state, but not Australia. Unsurprisingly, the colonial powers are blood relatives and have a common problem recognizing sovereignty both at home and abroad.” (T/RE1/P2)

Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)