MELBOURNE, June 3 (Xinhua) -- Australia opposes Israel's escalation in Lebanon and believes a ceasefire in the Middle East must include Lebanon, Foreign Minister Penny Wong said on Wednesday.
Speaking to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, Wong said Canberra's position is clear and opposes escalation, adding that the ceasefire "from the beginning should have applied to Lebanon."
"We oppose Israel's escalation in Lebanon ... We have a clear view, in this circumstance, about the escalation which we do not support," Wong said.
"And we continue to say, without the ceasefire applying to Lebanon, it is difficult to see how the broader ceasefire in the region can continue or be strengthened."
Wong confirmed that Australia on Tuesday imposed financial sanctions and travel bans on three individuals and four entities in Israel in response to escalating settler violence against Palestinians in the West Bank.
A media release published on the foreign minister's official website announced the sanctions, saying that Australia acted in coordination with partners including New Zealand.
It is the first time that the sanction measures targeted Israeli settlers' farming outposts in the West Bank, which "serve as hubs for settler violence."
The media release reaffirmed Australia's "steadfast" commitment to the two-state solution, saying it is "the only pathway to enduring peace and security for both Israelis and Palestinians." ■