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All of Australia’s living former prime ministers bar one have released a joint statement on the conflict in Gaza, condemning Hamas but warning Israel it risks doing the terror group’s work by killing thousands of innocent Palestinian civilians.
The statement, signed by Scott Morrison, Malcolm Turnbull, Tony Abbott, Kevin Rudd, Julia Gillard and John Howard – but not Paul Keating – said most Australians support the Jewish community following the attack on Israel on October 7.
“We believe we speak for the vast majority of Australians, of all faiths and of none, when we say we stand in solidarity with Jewish Australians at this time,” it states.
“Likewise, we stand too with the Australian Palestinian community whose families are dying and suffering in this terrible conflict.
“They too deserve our love and support.
“Our nation’s success depends on us not allowing conflict overseas to turn Australians against each other.”
The former prime ministers go on to condemn the “cruel and murderous attack” carried out by Hamas, but also cautioned Israel that an indiscriminate invasion of the Gaza Strip is what the militant group wanted to provoke, even as Israeli troops escalate their attacks on the enclave.
“The Hamas terrorists sought to horrify and intimidate the people of Israel, shaking that nation’s faith in its technology, its military, its government,” they said.
“But they also sought to provoke Israel into a reaction that would kill countless innocent civilians in Gaza.
“The Hamas terrorists have no more interest in the safety of Palestinians than they do of Israelis.
“They want Israel to invade and bomb Gaza. They want to be able to point to thousands of Palestinian casualties from Israeli military action.
“Their mission is to promote hatred – hatred of Israelis, hatred of Jews, hatred of Palestinians, hatred of Muslims.
“If our hearts are filled with hatred, then we will be doing the terrorists’ work.”
The statement goes on to say “the legitimate objective of defeating Hamas must be accompanied by support and protection for the civilian population of Gaza”, adding that Israel must avoid civilian casualties with “all of its humanity and skill”.
So far, more than 8000 Palestinians are believed to have been killed in Israel’s retaliatory attacks on Gaza for the October 7 assault, many of them women and children.
The prime ministers said they were “horrified” by the deaths of Palestinian civilians, and called for “sustained humanitarian access” to allow aid into Gaza.
They also reiterated their support for the two-state solution.
The only living former prime minister who did not put his name to the letter was Keating.
He said yesterday that reports he would sign a statement “drafted by the Zionist Federation of Australia, condemning the attack by Hamas on Israel” were false and without foundation.
The former Labor leader, who was prime minister from 1991-1996, said he had been approached about putting his name to the statement weeks ago, and that his position hadn’t changed.
But Turnbull disputed Keating’s assertion that the statement was written by the Zionist Federation, saying this evening it “was drafted exclusively by the former PMs and nobody else”.
