UNITED NATIONS SECURITY COUNCIL

Explanation of Vote by HE Mr Gary Quinlan, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Australia to the United Nations

Australia remains committed to a future where Israel and a Palestinian state exist side-by-side in peace and security, within internationally recognised borders. And as such our efforts must be focused on constructively encouraging parties to return to direct negotiations towards this goal.

Regrettably, the draft resolution under consideration today will not help this process and that is why we have voted against it. It lacks balance and seeks to impose a solution put forward by one party alone. Final status issues can only be resolved between the two sides. A process agreed by both sides is the only way forward to reach an enduring agreement.

The violence experienced in recent months in the Palestinian Territories and Israel underlines the terrible human costs of the failure of final status negotiations and how fragile the situation is in the absence of genuine progress towards establishing a Palestinian state – an objective in which Australia believes and to which we are committed. Australia urges all parties to refrain from provocative actions, and for leaders from both sides to show real courage in returning to the difficult path of peace negotiations.

Thank you.