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Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd. (Reuters)
Last update - 11:46 12/03/2008
Australian parliament lauds Israel as 'custodian of freedom'
By DPA
Tags: Israel, Palestinians 

The Australian Parliament on Wednesday congratulated Israel on 60 years of statehood, describing it as a "robust democracy" and a "custodian of freedom" in a region abounding in autocracies and theocracies.

The bipartisan motion in Parliament was interrupted by a protester in the public gallery who shouted, "What about the UN resolution?" before being hustled out of the chamber.

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd reaffirmed Australia's commitment to a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian problem, noting that the United Nations had recommended independent Jewish and Arab states 60 years ago.
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"We firmly believe the establishment of an independent and economically viable Palestinian state must remain a key objective of the Israeli peace process," Rudd said. "This is important for the future, ... just as our objective must be for Israel to exist within secure and internationally recognized boundaries."

Rudd praised Israel for its "robust democracy" and said it represented a "cause for hope."

Opposition Liberal Party leader Brendan Nelson said that in a region "characterized more by theocracies or autocracies, Israel and
the state of Israel is the custodian of the most fragile and yet most powerful of human emotions - that is hopeful belief in the freedom of man, freedom of speech, freedom of religion and freedom of assembly."

Nelson, who seconded the motion, said "no Australian who believes in the dignity of man, of freedom and democratic principles, should ever allow, through neglectful indifference, to allow Israel to be a stranger. To do so would be to diminish ourselves and our own security."

There was a small group of protesters outside Parliament House in Canberra and large advertisements placed in national newspapers condemning the motion.

The signatories to the advertisement, which included members of the Labor Party and heads of unions that helped finance its campaigning in the November election that saw Rudd triumph, condemned what they said was a "celebration of the triumph of racism and the ethnic cleansing of Palestinians since the al-Nakba (Catastrophe) of 1948."

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      1.   Aussies Apologized to Aborg, Avidor Wants to Expel Israeli Arabs 10:15  |  Orren Merton 12/03/08
      2.   Way, way down under 10:17  |  Marlene N. 12/03/08
      3.   Is AIPAC putting out its feelers to Australia....???? 10:40  |  Swiss (Dino) 12/03/08
      4.   Bonza!!!! 10:45  |  The Judge 12/03/08
      5.   Mr Rudd scared of Jews 10:46  |  Fran 12/03/08
      6.   Even two opposition parties can agree 10:46  |  Tania 12/03/08
      7.   Australin Reality Check 11:03  |  Andrew 12/03/08
      8.   ARE PEOPLE BEGINNING TO UNDERSTAND?!? 11:06  |  James 12/03/08
      9.   Australia 11:07  |  jonathon 12/03/08
      10.   Criminals support criminals 11:13  |  Observor 12/03/08
      11.   Congradulations to both Australia and Israel! 11:15  |  US CITIZEN 12/03/08
      12.   Have the Palestinians apologised for murdering Israelis?#1 11:16  |  x-ray 12/03/08
      13.   Jonathon in Sydney 11:20  |  The Judge 12/03/08
      14.   Child Soldiers of the PA 11:25  |  Jean Van Daem 12/03/08
      15.   Re-No 1 11:26  |  American Christian 12/03/08
      16.   Nothing but Racists Countries Patting Each Other on The Backs 11:32  |  Johan Odin 12/03/08
      17.   Way, way down under -side 2 11:33  |  American Christian 12/03/08
      18.   To Oren Merton 11:35  |  Avichai 12/03/08
      19.   Well Done Prime Minister! 11:35  |  ATLAS 12/03/08
      20.   Mr Bush scared of Arabs 11:40  |  American Christian 12/03/08
      21.   O.MERTON.Al Naqba is Arab double talk for failure to steal it all 11:42  |  PETER SM 12/03/08
      22.   Proportion 11:44  |  JR 12/03/08
      23.   #16--Johan Odin--time to wake up! 11:46  |  US CITIZEN 12/03/08
      24.   G`day Mate! 11:48  |  Michael 12/03/08
      25.   FRAN."Proud" of MP Julia Irwin who has a large Arab constituency 11:50  |  PETER SM 12/03/08
      26.   To *5 Fran 11:54  |  Michael J 12/03/08
      27.   Don`t worry Marlene 12:05  |  kiwi girl 12/03/08
      28.   To #5 Fran - Mr Rudd is careful not afraid 12:13  |  Paul 12/03/08
      29.   RUDD Afraid of the Zionist Media 12:15  |  joe blow 12/03/08
      30.   MARLENE.Way off the planet.Saying the oppositte in English&Arabic 12:22  |  PETER SM 12/03/08
      31.   Kiwi girl 12:34  |  Rab Burns 12/03/08
      32.   # 3 Swiss.. Bi-partisan motion in Parliament 12:40  |  Lynn 12/03/08
      33.   #23-I`m Sure The Nazis Would Have Appreciated Your Support 12:43  |  Johan Odin 12/03/08
      34.   kiwi girl2 12:43  |  Rab Burns 12/03/08
      35.   #31 Rab Burns 12:52  |  Paul 12/03/08
      36.   kiwi 3 12:53  |  Rab Burns 12/03/08
      37.   BLOW."WE now have all our mid east material cencored by an Israel 12:54  |  PETER SM 12/03/08
      38.   KIWI Girl.Its all money?Then you have nothing to worry about. 13:01  |  PETER SM 12/03/08
      39.   #35 Paul 13:04  |  Rab Burns 12/03/08
      40.   # 32 Lynn, the difference between CONGRATULATION and ADULATION 13:08  |  Swiss (Dino) 12/03/08
      41.   Johan odin # 16 13:09  |  David Nigel Braham 12/03/08
      42.   #29 Joe 13:09  |  Rab Burns 12/03/08
      43.   actions speak louder than words 13:10  |  DC 12/03/08
      44.   #39 Rab Burns 13:27  |  Paul 12/03/08
      45.   Kevin Rudd 13:29  |  Robin 12/03/08
      46.   "But the Enperor`s wearing no new clothes" 2nd attempt 13:35  |  Clickfool 12/03/08
      47.   No 43 peter sm 13:35  |  joe blow 12/03/08
      48.   60 years of statehood Vs 60 years of occupation 13:36  |  Mary 12/03/08
      49.   41David Nigel Brahms to Johan odin,none of that changes the 13:45  |  lakshmi 12/03/08
      50.   MARY.NOT perfect but Israeli Arabs have more freedoms in Israel 13:55  |  PETER SM 12/03/08
      51.   Good onya Kev #45 13:57  |  Joe Blow 12/03/08
      52.   #41 Nigel - Bringing in Cheap Menial Labor is Israel`s Motivation 14:07  |  Johan Odin 12/03/08
      53.   Hey Mary 14:11  |  from IDF soldier 12/03/08
      54.   # 40 Swiss. sometimes in a Democracy 14:13  |  Lynn 12/03/08
      55.   To: Fran of Sydney 14:14  |  leven5 12/03/08
      56.   What Haaretz didn`t tell you 14:28  |  Bon Levi 12/03/08
      57.   B.LEVI REALLY? I can`t find that anywhere.. 14:43  |  PETER SM 12/03/08
      58.   Socceroos and Israel were competitors on the soccer field 14:43  |  Geoff - Sydney 12/03/08
      59.   Fran in Australia - you are right 14:46  |  Chanah 12/03/08
      60.   Bon Levi 56 14:49  |  ChanahS 12/03/08
      61.   Stop dreaming of fantasyland 14:57  |  Brod 12/03/08
      62.   JBLOW Are you serious?Age gives the same reports as Australian 14:57  |  PETER SM 12/03/08
      63.   DINO AND PARLIAMENTS 15:23  |  Brant 12/03/08
      64.   Marlene N in New York 15:29  |  George 12/03/08
      65.   Paul from Adelaide 15:30  |  utagawa 12/03/08
      66.   MARLENE: AN ASSIGNMENT 15:33  |  Brant 12/03/08
      67.   For Bon Levi # 56 15:36  |  Clickfool 12/03/08
      68.   Paul from Adelaide 15:37  |  utagawa 12/03/08
      69.   to Marlene 15:37  |  TAZ 12/03/08
      70.   In AU, Occupation = Freedom. Australia sounds F`d 16:30  |  POP 12/03/08
      71.   # 63 Brant, a few "innocent" questions from a Swiss perspective 16:44  |  Swiss (Dino) 12/03/08
      72.