Penny Wong, Foreign Minister: Thank you very much for being here. Today, Australia is bringing the world together to protect those who risk everything to save innocent lives. Today, Australia, with many other countries, is launching the Declaration for the Protection of Humanitarian Personnel. Australia has led the charge on this, with others, in honour of an Australian, Zomi Frankcom, who was killed in Gaza last year, who was working as an aid worker. Today, we remember Zomi Frankcom, and we also remember the almost 700 humanitarian personnel who have been killed in conflict since the start of last year. I want to thank the counterparts who will be signing on to this declaration. We have more than 100 countries - that's more than half the United Nations - who have been prepared to work with us to issue this declaration. It is a powerful statement that so many countries remain committed to the international norms and rules which are there to protect all of us in times of conflict. This is a multilateral declaration, it's in the best of Australia's diplomatic traditions, and it is something I hope all Australians can be proud of. Happy to take questions.
Journalist: Minister, you mentioned nearly 700 aid workers killed in Gaza.
Foreign Minister: Conflict zones around the world.
Journalist: Is there a specific number for Gaza? And what would you say about Israel's approach to aid workers?
Foreign Minister: What I would say is that the fact that over 100 countries have signed up to this declaration demonstrates that the international community is serious about maintaining our commitment to the Geneva Conventions, maintaining our commitment to the norms and laws which protect us all. As I will say in my speech, humanitarian workers are the best of us. They go into conflict zones to ensure that civilians are provided with aid, and they are protected under international law, and that should be observed.
Journalist: Senator, as per the recoginition announced this morning, Benjamin Netanyahu has reacted quite angrily, he's said there'll never be a Palestinian State and he's threatening repercussions when he returns to Israel. Do you have any inkling of what they may mean - annexation of the West Bank, expulsion of diplomats, anything like that?
Foreign Minister: What I would say is this: Australia, like so many of the countries here, is working with others to try and press for peace. We're working with others because we want to be part of the global momentum for peace. That is where Australia's objective is. That is where other countries are. That is what people are working for.
Journalist: Foreign Minister, is there more you're specifically asking for from Israel on Zomi Frankcom's death? There's been discussion for example about the audio from that day and whether the family can get access to that.
Foreign Minister: We've put our view about these issues to the Israeli Government and as you know we have the Binskin Report. We've released that report publicly. We've made clear opposition on that, but we were also clear, and I said at the time, that we wanted to make sure we could do something that assures that her death and the death of so many others are not in vain. And that is why we're doing this. Ultimately, nation states have to observe laws. What we as an international community can do is come together to reiterate our commitment to the Geneva Conventions, to the rules of war, to reiterate that what we will do supporting practical action to ensure that humanitarian workers are protected.
Journalist: Foreign Minister, Al Jazeera. In terms of what you're doing today, do you not think, given Israel has killed more humanitarian workers than any other country, that perhaps now there should be legal action? Would you encourage the ICC to investigate the death of humanitarian workers in Gaza? And if I may, a second question on the recognition that you did earlier on today. Recognition is obviously an important step, but to stop the war in Gaza, do you need to take strong sanctions, possibly directly against Prime Minister Netanyahu?
Foreign Minister: In relation to the latter, we, alongside the majority international community, have called for a ceasefire. That's what we want. We recognize Australia is not the central player in the Middle East, but what we are doing here is contributing towards momentum. And that momentum, we hope, with others, can bring about the peace that we that we all want. In relation to the other issues, I would simply say this. These laws, these rules, these norms, apply to all countries in all circumstances. That is the expectation of the international community, and that is what we are reiterating again today with this declaration.
Journalist: But how would you describe Israel's approach to aid workers?
Foreign Minister: We would say that Israel must comply with international humanitarian law. That's the expectation. That's what this declaration reiterates. That is the expectation of the international community.
Journalist: Minister, your government - and you just said it now - you constantly say that Australia is not a central player in the Middle East, and you talk down the role that we might have on the influence. So aren't you thereby acknowledging that this is really domestic politics that's driving this decision, because if we're not a central player, isn't our decision to recognise Palestine fruitless?
Foreign Minister: This is not driven by those considerations. This decision is driven by what we see in Gaza. This decision is driven by the deaths of so many civilians. This decision is driven by a war, a conflict, that I think has reached unimaginable proportions. And this decision is driven by a famine that exists in Gaza. So, the international community has come together and said we have to do something. And of course, I recognise that Australia is not able by itself to stop this war, but what we can do is add our voice to pressing for peace, momentum for peace, and that is why we have recognised, that is why we see so many other countries making similar commitments, it is the desire of international community for peace. Thank you.