(JTA) — The members of Australia’s New South Wales Labor Party have voted for the recognition of a Palestinian Authority state following a push by former Foreign Minister Bob Carr. The resolution was watered down ahead of the branch's conference on Sunday.
NSW Jewish Board of Deputies chief executive Vic Alhadeff said the resolution passed Sunday ”is a much better outcome than what was originally proposed in the conference booklet, and we applaud the efforts by many within the Labor Party who worked hard to achieve a more balanced resolution.” The Executive Council of Australian Jewry issued a statement saying, “Clearly, Israel still has many friends within the Australian Labor Party and they are to be applauded for ensuring that Bob Carr’s original motion was significantly amended before it was passed.