Peter Dutton has praised Donald Trump as a “big thinker” in response to the US president’s calls for America to take over Gaza in what would probably be a breach of international law, saying he brought “gravitas” to international affairs.
The opposition leader claimed Trump’s incendiary remarks could be a negotiating tactic to get other countries in the Middle East to “step up” and help rebuild the Palestinian territory devastated by Israeli bombing.
The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, continued to state Australia’s commitment to a two-state solution on Thursday, but said he believed it was prudent to sometimes “sit back” and not comment on all of Trump’s claims.
The United Nations special rapporteur on the occupied Palestinian territories, Francesca Albanese, was scathing of the prime minister’s mild response.
“It’s pathetic,” said Francesca Albanese, who is no relation to Anthony.
She claimed on ABC radio on Thursday that there was criticism of the prime minister for “not sticking to Australia’s human rights commitment when it comes to Palestine”.
She called Trump’s suggestions “nonsense” and “absolutely unlawful”, saying they represented forced displacement of the Palestinian people.
“This is madness,” she said.
On Wednesday, Trump suggested the US would “take over the Gaza Strip … We’ll own it”, in a press conference alongside the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu. He also floated American-led economic development and construction. Trump had previously suggested “cleaning out” Gaza and that neighbouring Arab nations should house its Palestinian residents.
“I don’t think people should be going back to Gaza,” Trump said.
The proposal could amount to a war crime or crime against humanity, experts in international law said, while the United Nations secretary general, António Guterres, warned against “ethnic cleansing”.
Top US officials appeared to dramatically walk back Trump’s words on Thursday, with his press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, claiming the president only suggested Gaza residents be “temporarily relocated” and the secretary of state, Marco Rubio, calling the idea a “generous move … to be in charge of the rebuilding”.
The foreign minister, Penny Wong, also stressed Australia’s commitment to a two-state solution and backed the prime minister’s response, noting the comments from US officials as a reason for caution in giving responses to Trump.
“We have seen overnight the discussions and clarifications. I think that this is a demonstration of why the Australian government does not immediately react to everything that is reported,” she told the Senate.
“A bipartisan commitment to two states is the only way to ensure self-determination for Palestinians, security for Israel and peace for all peoples of the region.”
Dutton, in a weekly interview on 2GB radio, did not actively oppose Trump’s proclamations and appeared to back them in as a negotiating tactic.
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“He wants other countries in the region to step up and take responsibility, as he’s done with Nato in Europe,” Dutton said.
“[Trump] is a big thinker and a deal maker. He’s not become the president of the United States for a second time by being anything other than shrewd. You’ve seen it in his business life, and the art of the deal is incredibly important to him … I think there’s a desire for peace here from every reasonable person, and hopefully it can be achieved.”
Dutton claimed it was “perfectly reasonable that [Trump] would try to leverage near neighbours” in the region to contribute to Gaza reconstruction efforts.
“People who dismiss President Trump and say that he’s not serious, or whatever derogatory comments they want to make, I just think it defies the reality of the gravitas that he brings to the situation, the might of the United States working with an ally like Israel and Jordan and Egypt and other countries who will have to, in his judgment, contribute to the rebuild in the region.”
Dutton in recent times appeared to closely follow some of Trump’s political examples, including a focus on “government efficiency”, cutting public servants, and criticising diversity and inclusion efforts.
While other world leaders were more critical of Trump’s comments, Anthony Albanese declined to specifically respond to the suggestions beyond reiterating Australia’s support for a two-state solution and stating that he would not give a daily “running commentary” on all of the president’s remarks.
“Our position has been longstanding and bipartisan: two states in the region. The state of Israel having the right to exist and recognised by the states around it living in peace and security, and the right of Palestinians to live in their own state as well,” he told the ABC on Thursday.
Pressed by host James Glenday on the fact that Trump’s latest comments represented a major escalation, Albanese stood by his decision to not respond further and pointed to Trump’s rapidly shifting positions on issues such as trade tariffs.
“There’s been two different positions in the last week on Canada and on tariffs, and that points towards the need to sit back, not comment on every statement that is made every day,” Albanese said.
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