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.