QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE

Mr ALBANESE (Grayndler—Prime Minister) (14:28): I thank the member for Mackellar for her question. Australia is steadfast in our commitment to the two-state solution as the only pathway to enduring peace and security for both Israelis and Palestinians. We have worked closely with our international partners on this issue and we will continue to do so.

And the government's position on this is crystal clear. Israeli settlements in the West Bank are illegal under international law, they threaten the viability of a two-state solution and they are a major obstacle to peace. That is why, in coordination with partners, we have imposed travel bans and targeted financial sanctions on senior Israeli ministers Smotrich and Ben-Gvir—because of their role in serious human rights violations and abuses against Palestinians in relation to illegal settlements and settler violence—just as we have, in combination with partners, imposed sanctions on Israeli extremists for their abhorrent settler violence targeting Palestinian communities, including as recently as 2 June.

These sanctions target extremist settlers and entities, including settlements responsible for horrific violence and human rights abuses. As the Foreign minister has announced, we are pursuing further targeted measures in coordination with our international partners to deter illegal settlements and deter settler violence. Our aim is clear: to take action to ensure the two-state solution remains viable, as it is the only pathway for peace and security in the region.

Australia is not pursuing a blanket-style import ban. We do have concerns about the implementation of a blanket ban and unintended consequences for Palestinians and groups that should not be targeted. We'll continue to work with our partners to protect the prospect of a two-state solution as we continue to call on Israel to immediately address illegal settlements and settler violence, which are undermining the two-state solution—just as we continue to condemn Hamas's ongoing acts of terror that also undermine the two-state solution.