Labor and Coalition court Muslim vote

Labor and the Coalition have both made plays for the Muslim vote at Eid celebrations in Sydney to end the festival of Ramadan.

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Foreign Minister Bob Carr and Opposition treasurey spokesman Joe Hockey both addressed a crowd outside Lakemba mosque in western Sydney.

Mr Hockey told the crowd all Australians should be proud of their heritage.

He says he's proud that his father was born in Palestine and came to Australia as a migrant in 1948 and said if the Coalition wins government his Arabic heritage will earn him a unique place in Australian history.

"We believe in the future of Australia. If there is a change of government on the seventh of September it will be the very first time in Australian history that someone of Arab heritage has taken a leadership position in Australia," Mr Hockey says.

"And that is a significant event, significant event for Australia and it is a significant event for the Arab community and that will only come about with a change of government on the seventh of September."

Meanwhile, Bob Carr told the crowd he's proud of the Labor Government's support in the United Nations for lifting the status of the Palestinians in the UN.

Senator Carr says all Israeli settlements on Palestinian land are illegal under international law and should cease.

"I am very, very proud that Australia's hand did not go up against increased Palestinian status in the general assembly of the United Nations.

"That's something you ought to think about. I've been to Ramallah, I've spoken to the Palestinian leadership and we support their aspirations to have a Palestinian state in the context of a Middle Eastern peace and that means respect for the right of Israel to exist."


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