Labor policy shift troubles Victorian Liberal Friends of Israel
The Victorian Liberal Friends of Israel say that reports today that the Albanese Government will adopt divisive, inflammatory rhetoric on Israeli-Palestinian affairs are deeply troubling.
Departing from Australia’s traditionally amicable relationship with Israel and its prudent approach to peace, the Albanese Government will categorize Israel’s settlements in the West Bank as “illegal” and label the Palestinian territories as “occupied.”
This shift not only undermines the trust of Australia’s flourishing Jewish community but also jeopardizes Australia’s reputation as a steadfast supporter of the solitary functional democracy in the Middle East.
It is an increasing sign that Foreign Minister Penny Wong is aligning Australia’s foreign policy stances with the wishes of the Labor Left faction, which has pursued an aggressively anti-Israel agenda at various Labor conferences.
This is not the first move the Albanese Government has made to weaken ties between Australia and Israel. Last year, Labor used a Jewish holy day to unilaterally announce that Australia would no longer recognise West Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.
As one of the first countries to recognise the State of Israel, Australia has always believed in sensible and measured diplomacy. The Albanese Government’s inflammatory declaration is punitive and does nothing but undermine our longstanding efforts for peace.
State Liberal Member for Caulfield, David Southwick, said that the Albanese Government’s careless insensitivity is harmful to both Australia’s Jewish community and our country’s sensible diplomatic approach. He said: “The decision makes it clear that Anthony Albanese and Penny Wong are more focused on capitulating to party activists than they are on smart, collaborative diplomacy.
As Labor grapples with its burgeoning anti-Israel faction, the Liberal Party remain a steadfast, unequivocal and loyal friend of both Israel and our Jewish community. This is an issue with thousands of years of history and Labor’s inflammatory, knee-jerk announcement does nothing but undermine Australia’s sensible, measured approach to achieving peace.”
Liberal Senator for Victoria and Shadow Minister for Home Affairs James Paterson added: “It’s clear the Albanese Government is caving to internal Labor Party pressure at the expense of Australia’s longstanding policies on Israel and the Palestinian territories.
Anthony Albanese and Penny Wong should stand up to the extreme Left of the Labor Party in support of a lasting two-state solution in which Israel and Palestine peacefully co-exist.”
It’s a shameful thing to use another country’s unique situation as fodder in your own political machine. That’s what the Federal Labor Party has done. Penny Wong’s boring rhetoric, in line with international opinion and ‘other countries’, is meaningless and cowardly, the latter due to not actually owning your own stance, but excusing it instead.
Shameful. I can feel nothing but disdain in regard to all of it.
This was absolutely predictable, with progressive left wing having an international anti Israel and indeed anti Jewish agenda. Makes one wonder why any jew or Israel friend would even consider voting labour?