The opposition home affairs spokesman, James Paterson, is at odds with the US on the need for a ceasefire in Gaza and de-escalation in Lebanon.
About 2,700 people fleeing conflict in Lebanon have now landed in Australia, as the federal government prepares to start ending flights.
A year on from Hamas’ 7 October attack on Israel, fighting has widened in the region from Gaza to Lebanon, Yemen and Iran.
The US vice president, Kamala Harris, said her administration was working to secure a ceasefire in Gaza and Lebanon.
Asked on ABC Insiders on Sunday about the Coalition’s position on a ceasefire in southern Lebanon, Paterson said that it could only happen when Hezbollah had been “degraded and defeated”.
This is at odds with the position of the US president, Joe Biden, and the vice president, Kamala Harris, who have called for a de-escalation and ceasefire.
When questioned about being in disagreement with the nation’s closest ally, Paterson said Australia was a sovereign country.
“It wouldn’t be remarkable for an Australian politician to disagree with an American politician, particularly the United States administration under President Biden and Vice President Harris, a centre-left administration,” he said.
“I’m from a centre-right political party, there’ll be times that we disagree, and mature adults can be open and honest.”
Paterson said that “on questions of principle, [the Coalition] are very strong supporters of Israel”.
“We understand the circumstances they face. God forbid Australia ever faces challenges that Israel faces. God forbid that Australian politicians are ever faced with these choices, but if we would expect their government to respond as decisively as Israel has.”
Asked if he wanted to see a ceasefire enforced, Paterson said the opposition wanted to see an end to the conflict.
“In my view, that will only happen once Hamas releases the hostages and once Hamas is degraded, so they no longer pose an ongoing threat to Israel from Gaza,” he said.
Labor failed to secure bipartisanship on a motion commemorating the first anniversary of 7 October, which the assistant trade minister, Tim Ayres, labelled “deeply disappointing”.
“The opposition chose to hang out with Adam Bandt [Greens leader] their supposed opponents, the two extremes of Australian politics coming together,” he told Sky News.
More than 1,200 Israelis were killed when Hamas launched its attack last year, taking hundreds more hostage.
after newsletter promotion
Almost 42,000 Palestinians have been killed since Israel began its retaliatory strikes, with the majority of Gaza’s population facing displacement and starvation.
Interest in free seats out of Beirut has declined sharply in recent days, with fewer than 180 aboard two flights to Cyprus that departed on Friday.
The last two government-chartered flights will leave Beirut on Sunday before the Australian government pulls the pin on the evacuation operation.
194 Australians and family members have arrived in Australia overnight.
2,135 Australians and their family members have now returned to Australia from Lebanon on assisted-departure flights. pic.twitter.com/AvY8929i5P
— Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade 🇦🇺 (@dfat) October 11, 2024
Australians and their family members still in Lebanon will need to resort to local carrier Middle East Airlines or other commercial airlines.
One final Qantas flight is due to leave Cyprus on Wednesday evening.
The flights followed an escalation in Israel’s year-long scuffle with the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah in recent weeks, with a campaign of intense bombings across Lebanon including its capital Beirut.
More than 2,200 people have been killed and another 1.2 million have been displaced across a nation about the size of Sydney.
– Australian Associated Press and Royce Kurmelovs contributed to this report
