Bishop in Israel
Australia’s Foreign Minister Julie Bishop is currently undertaking a visit to Israel and the Palestinian Territories.
Julie Bishop
Before leaving she issued this following statement: “Australia and Israel enjoy a deep friendship, underpinned by historical and community ties. Australia’s Jewish community makes a significant contribution to our nation.
I will visit Israel and the Palestinian Territories from 3 to 5 September to reaffirm the strength of the Australia-Israel bilateral relationship and to discuss the Middle East peace process and Australia’s development assistance to the Palestinian Territories.
During my visit to Israel I will undertake a number of bilateral meetings with senior Israeli leaders including President Rivlin, Prime Minister Netanyahu, and Defence Minister Lieberman to promote bilateral cooperation, the development of a treaty on innovation, and to discuss regional security and the Middle East peace process.
In Jerusalem I will attend a wreath laying ceremony at Yad Vashem, the Martyrs’ and Heroes’ Memorial of the Holocaust. In Tel Aviv I will visit Australia’s innovation ‘landing pad’ which is helping ambitious Australian entrepreneurs tap into Israel’s well-developed innovation industry.
During my visit to the Palestinian Territories I will meet with Prime Minister Hamdallah and Economy Minister Odeh. I will also meet with Australia Awards alumni who have returned to the Palestinian Territories to use the skills and knowledge they gained in Australia.”
“the ‘Palestinian’ territories” is a misnomer for two reasons:
1. the use of the definite article implies that the Arabs claim only Judea and Samaria,[ “West Bank”] but they actually also claim the whole of Israel within the 1949 Armistice ‘Green Line.”
2. their claims are absolutely illegitimate and baseless. The 1922 Mandate for the Land, given by international law to Britain with the explicit task of reconstituting the Jewish National Home covered the Entire Land of Eretz Yisrael from the Mediterranean Sea to the Jordan River.
For reasons of pragmatism Israel has awarded autonomy to those Arabs, a large proportion of whom are themselves or are the descendants of settlers who immigrated into the Land looking for economic opportunities that the Zionists had created.
Well, let’s hear what you have to say on your return, Foreign Minister Bishop. Hopefully there will be more depth to it than articulated government ‘policy’.