UN shift risks status with Israel

Writing for The Australian, the Jewish MP noted that Evatt cast the first vote to establish Israel and an adjoining Arab State of Palestine in 1947.

"Let us hope the events of the last week do not undermine that long-standing support of Australia for a free and democratic Jewish state," Mr Danby said.

Mr Danby said a Palestinian win at the UN would harm prospects for peace.

He said that for Australia to abstain was disappointing, and UN recognition of the Palestinian state was not the answer.

"I was disappointed with the government's decision to abstain from the vote in New York yesterday for an upgraded Palestinian UN status," he said.

He said that while emotions ran high on the issue, it was crucial to soberly assess the real world consequences of the UN vote.

But one of Australia's most experienced former diplomats, Richard Woolcott, said Ms Gillard's initial opposition to the Palestinian bid was "misguided".

Mr Woolcott, ambassador to the UN from 1982 to 1988 and secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs from 1988 to 1992, was pleased Canberra would not oppose the key motion on Palestine at the UN, expected today.

"The change is overdue and on the right track," Mr Woolcott told The Australian. "But based on my experience as our representative to the UN, I would have preferred to see Australia support the resolution recognising Palestine as a non-member state observer, rather than just abstain. But this was probably a bridge too far at the moment."

Mr Danby says it was clear that people of goodwill supported the UN resolution because they believed it would hasten an end to the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians.

"Certainly most reasonable people, including the majority of Israelis, support the right of the Palestinians to live in peaceful co-existence with Israel inside their own sovereign state," he said.

"I share this desire and that is why I believe Australia would have been better to cast its vote in the UN against the resolution."

Mr Danby said Palestinian Authority leader Mahmoud Abbas had promoted the resolution to create leverage with Israel.

"Abbas hopes that the UN and Europe will act as a bulwark against the influence of the United States where . . . the public maintains an overwhelming support for Israel." This calculation was doomed, he said.

Only direct negotiation between the parties, backed by guarantees, could satisfy Israel's need for secure borders.

Mr Woolcott, who was president of the UN Security Council in 1985, said he "sympathised" with the reasons why key ministers forced Ms Gillard to change her position after a series of torrid behind-doors meetings, as reported in The Australian yesterday.

Foreign Minister Bob Carr, who favoured supporting the UN motion, was one of several ministers who negotiated for Australia to abstain on the critical vote.

"To me the importance of the vote," Mr Woolcott said, "is making progress towards a more secure Middle East and towards a two-state solution for the region. This vote is critical to achieving these goals."

"I have always been a strong supporter of the state of Israel, but at the core of the Middle Eastern problem is the future of the Palestinians. The best way to move towards peace is to make progress on the two-state solution."

"This expected success of the motion will be good for Israel and for the US, although they apparently don't recognise it themselves."

Liberal MP Josh Frydenberg said Senator Carr led an ambush of Julia Gillard. Mr Frydenberg said the Prime Minister's decision was regrettable and Australia has abandoned Israel soon after Iranian supplied rockets rained on its cities. Senator Carr declined to respond.

Tony Abbott said the Coalition did not want any additional recognition to be given until the Palestinians clearly and unambiguously recognised the right of Israel to exist behind secure borders. The Opposition Leader said he was not concerned how that would play out in western Sydney electorates that could prove crucial in next year's elections.

"Do what is right and the politics will look after itself," he told the Nine Network.