Sarah Ferguson has clashed with the Israeli Ambassador to Australia in a tense interview after Anthony Albanese declared Australia would recognise Palestine at the United Nations.
Amir Maimon appeared on the public broadcaster’s flagship 7.30 program during which he was grilled over the suffering of civilians in Gaza, refuting figures quoted by Ferguson, but being unable to provide his own.
‘Do you accept that 100 children in Gaza have died of starvation in recent months? Do you accept those statistics?’ Ferguson asked.
Mr Maimon sidestepped answering the question.
‘I’m following the statistics of the Israeli authorities. The statistics of COGAT,’ he said.
The Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) is an Israeli authority tasked with overseeing policy in the West Bank and logistical activities in the Gaza Strip.
‘I’m aware there are other views, like in any other issue, but I’m following the statistics of COGAT and I just share with you some of the statistics.’
Ferguson then interrupted him.
ABC host Sarah Ferguson grilled the Israeli ambassador over the treatment of civilians in Gaza
Israeli ambassador Amir Maimon said the focus should be on Hamas and the release of Israeli hostages
‘Ambassador, you mentioned COGAT,’ Ferguson pressed.
‘Excuse me, how many children do they say have died from starvation in recent months?’
The ambassador then replied: ‘I don’t have the figures’.
‘Well you can’t push back on these figures if you don’t have any of your own.’
The figures Ferguson quoted were from the Gaza Health Ministry.
‘Well, I have no figures, but I can push back on the fact Israeli hostages that did not receive humanitarian aid since October 7th, nor a visit from any of the organizations that are responsible to assist those who are in need.’
Israeli authorities have repeatedly denied Palestinians in Gaza are starving or that they have stemmed the flow of aid into the region.
There have also been claims that Hamas had been looting the aid that did get through.
Ferguson also pointed out that: ‘Israeli defense officials speaking to the New York Times said clearly that the Israeli military had not found evidence that Hamas had looted aid from the convoys.’
Israel has denied there is a ‘starvation policy’ denying Palestinians access to food and humanitarian aid (pictured, starving Palestinians including women and children holding pots wait to receive food distributed by a charity organisation)
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has announced Australia will join allies such as France, the UK and Canada and recognise Palestinian statehood at the United Nations General Assembly meeting in September.
‘Australia will recognise the right of the Palestinian people to a state of their own,’ the prime minister told reporters in Canberra on Monday.
‘A two-state solution is humanity’s best hope to break the cycle of violence in the Middle East and to bring an end to the conflict, suffering and starvation in Gaza.’
The prime minister said Palestinian recognition was part of international efforts to resolve the conflict in the Middle East.
Any recognition would need to guarantee that the designated terror group Hamas, which de facto governs Gaza, played no role in its future government, the prime minister said.
The prime minister said the international community had to act.
‘This is about much more than drawing a line on a map. This is about delivering a lifeline to the people of Gaza,’ he said.
‘The toll of the status quo is growing by the day, and it can be measured in innocent lives.
‘The world cannot wait for success to be guaranteed.’
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese (pictured) has announced that Australia will formally recognise Palestinian statehood, defying stringent criticism from Israel
But Palestinian recognition could be used as a ‘veneer’ that allows Israel to ‘continue brutalising Palestinians with no consequences’, Australia Palestine Advocacy Network’s president Nasser Mashni warned.
‘What I want today is for Palestinians not to be slaughtered, what I want as an Australian is our government not to be complicit in that slaughter … for Palestinians like myself to have the opportunity to enact our inalienable right to return,’ he told reporters in Melbourne.
‘What happens after that will be upon the Palestinian people.
‘It’s not my job, or Anthony Albanese’s to determine how Palestinians might seek their self-determination.’
The Australia/Israel and Jewish Affairs Council has condemned the government’s decision.
‘Recognition by Western countries telegraphs to Hamas that its rejection of multiple ceasefire proposals over the past 12 months were the correct decision,’ the council said in a statement.
Palestinians inspect the destroyed tent where journalists, including Al Jazeera correspondents Anas al-Sharif and Mohamed Qureiqa, were killed by an Israeli airstrike outside the Gaza City
Opposition Leader Sussan Ley and coalition foreign affairs spokeswoman Michaelia Cash have also taken issue with recognition.
They warned it ‘risks delivering Hamas one of its strategic objectives’ and puts Australia at odds with the US, which is ‘our most important ally and the most consequential player in the conflict in Gaza’.
Foreign Minister Penny Wong confirmed she spoke with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio about Australia’s intention to recognise Palestine before the decision was formally announced.
Australia has broken from the US in previous UN votes on issues regarding Palestine.
