Photo: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (right) arrived in Australia today. (ABC/Reuters)

Malcolm Turnbull takes aim at United Nations for 'one-sided resolutions' to Israeli-Palestinian conflict

By political reporters Stephanie Anderson, Jane Norman and Matthew Doran

22 Feb 2017,

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has rebuked the United Nations for adopting what he has labelled "one-sided resolutions" critical of Israel ahead of a visit by his Israeli counterpart.

In an opinion piece for The Australian, Mr Turnbull described Israel as a "miraculous" country that had "flourished despite invasion, conflict and an almost complete lack of natural resources".

He reaffirmed Australia's commitment to a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, but said the Government would not join those seeking to chastise Israel alone for the failure of that peace process.

"Many view Israel exclusively through the lens of its conflict with the Palestinians," he said.

"They demand that the Government take the side of those in the international community who seek to chastise Israel — and it alone — for the continuing failure of the peace process."

They appear to be the strongest comments from Prime Minister Turnbull on the long-running dispute in the Middle East.

The Coalition has looked to Israel for inspiration for much of its innovation agenda, with the Middle Eastern state hosting a number of Australian "innovation hubs".

Is 'two-state solution' fiction?

Mr Turnbull also referred to a speech given by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in 2015, where he pointed out the UN had adopted 20 resolutions critical of Israel in the preceding 12 months, compared to just one in response to the war in Syria.

Mr Netanyahu arrived in Australia this morning amid criticism from a number of countries for passing a law which retrospectively legalised about 4,000 settler homes built on Palestinian land.

Australia has declined to comment on that law, but the Palestinian territories' top envoy to Australia has urged leaders to press Mr Netanyahu on West Bank settlements during his visit.

Federal Labor leader Bill Shorten said he would raise his party's staunch opposition to any settlement building which posed a threat to a sustainable two-state solution.

The tension within the ALP about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has been simmering for some time.

This morning former prime minister Kevin Rudd stepped up his calls for Australia to formally recognise the Palestinian state, telling AM he wanted Labor to make the recognition official policy before the next election.

Other Labor elders — including former prime minister Bob Hawke and former foreign ministers Gareth Evans and Bob Carr — have made similar calls.

The 2015 ALP National Conference passed a motion that said if there was no progress towards a two-state solution, then a future Labor government would "discuss joining like-minded nations who have already recognised Palestinian territories".

Mr Netanyahu is the first sitting leader of Israel to visit Australia.