Perth Labor MPs Sam Lim, Louise Pratt sign open letter to Anthony Albanese to recognise Palestinian statehood

Two WA Federal Labor MPs are part of a new push for Australia to recognise Palestinian statehood that has further divided the Albanese Government. The West Australian can reveal that Member for Tangney Sam Lim and WA Senator Louise Pratt signed an open letter to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese urging him to end the international community’s “inaction” and free the Palestinian people from the “tyranny” of Israel’s presence. The letter was signed by 106 parliamentarians from Australia, New Zealand and Canada, including all Federal Greens MPs and seven Labor MPs. “For 57 years the Palestinian people have been subject to a brutal foreign military occupation,” the letter stated. “Palestinians will continue to suffer at the hands of Netanyahu’s government. It is more urgent than ever that the international community meets this moment with principled action. “The recognition of Palestine as a state is a step towards restarting rights-based peace talks and will reinforce the moderate voices on both sides who seek a peaceful and political solution . . . we urge our governments: recognise the State of Palestine.” Liberal Senator Michaelia Cash said the letter was “appalling” and further proof the Albanese Government’s support for Israel was not united. “Those politicians who have signed it should be deeply ashamed of themselves, including Sam Lim and Louise Pratt,” she said. “Anthony Albanese wants to have it both ways. He talks about combatting anti-Semitism when speaking to one audience whilst at the same time he allows members of his government to openly condemn Israel for a war which began when 1300 Israelis were slaughtered by Hamas terrorists.” Australia was among more than 150 nations that voted in favour of a United Nations motion demanding an “immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire” in Gaza. However, the Department of Foreign Affairs website states that Australia “does not recognise a Palestinian state”. “The Australian Government position is clear and longstanding, we support a two-state solution,” a spokeswoman said on Friday. “We will continue to call for the release of hostages and we will continue to call for a ceasefire, along with the rest of the world. We have been clear that we want the cycle of violence to end.” Ms Pratt and Mr Lim did not return calls on Friday. Mr Lim has been under pressure, over a separate post on his WhatsApp group chat that appeared to quote Mr Albanese blaming Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s “aerial bombing of thousands of innocent children” for the firebombing of a Melbourne synagogue last week. He has since clarified that “those were not his words” and told The West that his phone “may have been compromised” but has not made a formal complaint to Federal Police. Senator Cash said Mr Lim had “serious questions to answer” and called the explanation “bizarre”. “Sam Lim has demonstrated again that he is not fit to be the Federal Member for Tangney,” she said. Liberal Senator Matt Sullivan has written to the AFP, urging it to investigate, describing the claim as “deeply concerning.” “His explanation that his Department of Parliamentary Services phone had been hacked calls into question the security of such devices,” he said. “I therefore request the Australian Federal Police assess Mr Lim’s claims to determine how his phone was able to be hacked to help restore public confidence in the security of our parliamentarians’ department issued devices.”