(The Age, 26/9/2024)
Words just don’t count if Australia does not follow up with actions – Mark
Foreign Minister Penny Wong has decried the Israeli air strikes for killing Lebanese women and children, warning that the world cannot allow Lebanon to become the next Gaza.
The Israeli military said it killed a top Hezbollah commander as part of a two-day barrage that has left more than 560 people dead and prompted thousands of people in southern Lebanon to seek refuge in the north of the country.
In a significant strengthening of her previous language, Wong said: “Civilians are being killed by Israeli strikes and it is women and children who are paying the highest price.
“The global community is clear, this destructive cycle must stop. All parties must show restraint and de-escalate … Lebanon cannot become the next Gaza.”
Wong, who is representing Australia at a gathering of global leaders in New York, said that the escalation of the conflict between Israel and the Islamic militant group Hezbollah made the case for “an immediate ceasefire in Gaza even more urgent”.
“Hostages must be released and aid must flow,” she said.
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