The Executive Council of Aus­trali­an Jewry, the peak national rep­res­ent­at­ive body of the Aus­trali­an Jewish community is pleased that the Labor Party National Con­fer­ence has concluded its debate on Middle East policy with no change to the Government’s position on the Israeli-Palestini­an conflict and without further hostile policy pro­nounce­ments. This is the first National Con­fer­ence since 2015, where there has not been a further move towards uni­lat­er­al recog­ni­tion of a Palestini­an state.

We warmly welcome the excellent speech delivered by Michael Easson, a highly prin­cipled and deeply informed Labor activist. As Mr Easson observed, “there can be no justice without truth.” The truth that this gov­ern­ment must accept is that recog­ni­tion of a state that does not exist is not the expres­sion of solid­ar­ity or of a desire for peace. It is a dangerous falsehood which rewards the Palestini­ans for their refusal to negotiate an end to the conflict, recognise a Jewish state or renounce violence and terrorism. Recog­ni­tion of a Palestini­an state can only occur when it actually exists and that will only happen through direct nego­ti­ations between the parties.

We also wish to thank those delegates, members of par­lia­ment and senators who have main­tained their steadfast support for truth, the Israel-Australia alliance and demo­crat­ic values in the face of con­sid­er­able pressure from anti-Israel activists to bow to their demands.

We maintain our oppos­i­tion to recent Gov­ern­ment announce­ments on the conflict, par­tic­u­larly the reversal of Australia’s recog­ni­tion of west Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and the adoption of incorrect language regarding the des­ig­na­tion of the West Bank, Gaza and Jerusalem.

We will never waver in our advocacy for the inali­en­able rights of the Jewish people and in standing up to those who wish to do the State of Israel harm.

At ALP National Con­fer­ence no further change in ALP policy con­cern­ing Israel and excellent speech from Michael Easson.