>Daniel Andrews has declared that now is not the time to recognise a Palestinian state, telling a crowd of Jewish Labor Party faithfuls that the current Palestinian leadership is not a partner for peace.
>The former premier reaffirmed his “steadfast” support for Israel in a powerful speech at the Temple Beth Israel synagogue in St Kilda on Thursday night to launch Labor Friends of Israel Australia.
>Mr Andrews, who called the rise in antisemitism since October 7 “pure evil”, said he could not support calls for Palestinian statehood until Hamas was removed from power in Gaza.
>“I think I’m obliged to say that I do not at this time support a recognition of a Palestinian state,” he said.
>“That is not to say that the recognition of a Palestinian state is something that should never occur.”
>Mr Andrews said it was important that Victorians “push back against … some of the twisted logic that tries to bring legitimacy to terrorism”...
>Mr Andrews, a longtime supporter of Israel and the Jewish community, is scheduled to go to Israel in November.
>He previously visited Israel on a trade mission in 2017, opening a Victorian Government Trade and Investment office in Tel Aviv.
