Anthony Albanese then says:

One of the things that I’ve said and there has been some reporting from the Caucus yesterday is that sometimes out of a crisis comes a moment of opportunity to actually advance forward, in a real way, advance forward for Israelis and Palestinians.

You know, when I visited a long time ago, before the Intifada, it struck me that walking around the historic streets of Jerusalem, you know, an important site for the three great monotheistic religions, people don’t feel secure when you see people’s whose guns are bigger than their height.

That is an insecurity. It has an impact on people and, you know, that is why I say for all of those as well – engaged, to engage in a respectful way, that is appropriate in a democracy.

The cause is not advanced because of some of the activities that has occurred – you know, there is no place for anti-Semitism, no place for Islamophobia, no place for hated in this country.

One of the things I’m trying to do and I wish everybody in the parliament was trying to do but I don’t need that has been the case is to have social inclusion here as well because if there is two things I’m confident of, it is one that most Australians who don’t follow this on a day-to-day basis, who don’t think this is like fighting for a team in a game, that what they want us for, innocent lives to not be lost.

For people to stop killing each other, that is what they just think when they think about the Middle East. A

nd the second thing they want is they don’t want conflict brought here. People are not responsible for the actions of either Hamas terrorist organisations or [the Israeli] government and my priority has been to try and navigate what is a very difficult situation but, you know, the young Jewish boy or girl going to the local school should not be harassed because of who they are.

They are not responsible for what is going on in Gaza. And Arab Australians or Muslims are not responsible for what Hamas did.

The media have a responsibility as well to support things that are not just backing a team in this. And I just ask you to do so.

The press conference ends.