Australia Abstains from UN Palestine vote
This Thursday the United Nations General Assembly will likely pass a resolution to give Palestine a more formal status at the United Nations. The resolution will give Palestine the same non-member observer status at the United Nations that the Vatican has, which will result in greater access to International Institutions, and will change the way Palestine is treated under international law. Prime Minister Julia Gillard initially wanted to vote no on the resolution, but following a backlash from the Labor backbench, the Australian Government will now abstain from the vote.
The decision has not been well received by either the supporters or the opposition of the resolution. Opponents say that the resolution will be an impediment to peace negotiations, and may result in abuse of institutions like the International Criminal Court. Proponents of the resolution say that Australia has not gone far enough, and that Palestine deserves even more support from Australia.Josh Nicholas reports.