‘Rejection of Hamas’: Penny Wong on Australia’s UN vote in favour of Palestine membership

Foreign Minister Penny Wong says the “rejection of Hamas” is one of the reasons why Australia voted in favour to support a bid for Palestine to become a member of the UN.  The United Nations General Assembly has voted in favour of Palestine being granted membership.  Australia – along with 142 other nations – passed the General Assembly resolution on Friday (local time) by recognising Palestine’s qualification to join the organisation.  “What it did do, consistent with the two-state solution, was to express the General Assembly’s aspiration for Palestinian membership of the United Nations, noting that this must be recommended by the UN Security Council,” Ms Wong said during a media conference on Saturday.  “It did reaffirm the international community’s unwavering support for the two-state solution of Israel and Palestine living side by side in peace and security within recognised borders.”