ECAJ statement on UN resolution calling for “immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire” in Gaza independently of releasing hostages.

ECAJ President Daniel Aghion KC has denounced as “immoral” Australia’s support for a UN res­ol­u­tion today calling for an “immediate, uncon­di­tion­al and permanent ceasefire” in Gaza.

Quotes attrib­ut­able to ECAJ President Daniel Aghion KC:

“This is arguably the most immoral res­ol­u­tion passed by the UN General Assembly since the infamous “Zionism is racism” res­ol­u­tion in 1975, that was sub­sequently rescinded.

By calling for an immediate, uncon­di­tion­al and permanent ceasefire in Gaza, the General Assembly is effect­ively demanding that Israel abandon the hostages to their fate, and allow the Hamas ter­ror­ists to re-establish them­selves as the de facto rulers of Gaza. No country in the world should be expected to betray its own citizens as Israel is being called upon to do.

Although the res­ol­u­tion calls for the “immediate and uncon­di­tion­al release of all hostages,” it does not make the release of the hostages inter­de­pend­ent with the ceasefire and does not require Hamas to lay down its arms.

Nor does the res­ol­u­tion condemn Hamas for ini­ti­at­ing the war on October 7, 2023 or for its many atro­cit­ies.

If this res­ol­u­tion were to be put into effect, it would be a green light to Hamas to regroup, rearm and prepare for the next terrorist attack against Israel.

Seldom has the moral bank­ruptcy of the UN been on more con­spicu­ous display.

Mere voting numbers do not determine the truth or what is just. It is a mark of shame for Australia that our gov­ern­ment decided to support this vote, knowing full well how wrong it is in so many ways, as was evident in the reser­va­tions expressed by the Aus­trali­an rep­res­ent­at­ive.