Australia and the United States are both calling for an end to the conflict in the Gaza Strip but America has the “historical and ongoing leverage” to be able to end the clashes, according to US Studies Centre CEO Professor Simon Jackman who appeared on Sky News.

“While an expression from Australia is obviously welcome and appropriate the real big actor is the United States, the historical and ongoing leverage it has with regards to Israel and to a lesser extent Palestine as well,” he said.

Professor Jackman said America “being dragged back into the Middle East” is difficult to understand from an Australian point of view as we are focussed on what is happening in our part of the world.

“From an Australian perspective mission number one has to be Indo-Pacific matters much closer to home.”