LONDON: Human rights groups from Australia and Palestine have urged Australia’s federal government to rethink a potential trade agreement with Israel, citing the ongoing violent situation in Jerusalem and Gaza.
Australia is considering strengthening its economic relations with Israel through a Free Trade Agreement that the federal government hopes would boost defence, cybersecurity and innovation.
Australia already imports over $1 billion of goods and services from Israel annually, while its exports to the country are in excess of $340 million.
But citing the deteriorating situation in Gaza and Jerusalem, the Australian Centre for International Justice and the Palestinian Human Rights Organizations Council have urged the Australian government to halt considerations of expanded trade with Israel and condemn its actions against Palestinians.
Data Analyst Services reliefweb.int - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from reliefweb.int Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Senior Coordinator, Short Course Awards reliefweb.int - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from reliefweb.int Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
China-Australia Relations Hit New Low as Beijing Halts Trade Dialogue
On 5/6/21 at 4:25 AM EDT
China announced an indefinite suspension of a trade talk mechanism with Australia on Thursday in the latest sign of souring diplomatic relations between the two nations.
The China-Australia Strategic Economic Dialogue, which was launched in 2014 and led to the signing of the China-Australia Free Trade Agreement a year later, was put on hold by the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) with immediate effect.
In a statement on its website, China s top economic planning authority accused the Australian government of carrying out a series of measures to disrupt the normal exchanges and cooperation between the two countries.