Opposition calls on PM to take up Israel trip invite

The opposition’s foreign affairs spokeswoman Michaelia Cash is calling on the PM to travel to Israel after he criticised the state for blocking aid into Gaza.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is being pressured to visit Israel as Australia strengthens its language against the Middle Eastern nation for blocking aid into Gaza.

Mr Albanese has been publicly invited by President Isaac Herzog after he strengthened his language to criticise Israel for a blockade of food and medical supplies into Gaza as it reinvigorates a military offensive.

The new opposition foreign affairs spokeswoman Michaelia Cash said Mr Albanese should take up the invitation and travel as soon as possible when there were no domestic issues like the NSW flood recovery.

“Australia and Israel have always had a very strong relationship, which has deteriorated significantly under the Albanese government since Hamas’s terrorist attacks on Israel on 7 October 2023,” Senator Cash told AAP.

“This is a good opportunity for the prime minister to reset the relationship.”

The October 7 attack killed 1200 people and resulted in 250 hostages being taken, according to Israel’s tallies.

Senator Cash is set to meet Israeli ambassador Amir Maimon in the next week.

Australia has joined a growing chorus of nations strengthening its rhetoric against the Jewish state.

More than two million people are reported to face starvation with a lack of basic supplies and the strip largely reduced to rubble following the nearly 20-month-long war.

Aid was stopped to pressure Hamas into releasing more hostages after a ceasefire broke down earlier this year.

The prime minister branded Israel’s blockade as unacceptable and said its explanation for blocking aid was “completely untenable and without credibility”.

Federal Labor president and former treasurer Wayne Swan said he was sure Mr Albanese would consider the invite.

“But you know, the behaviour of Israel at the moment is pretty outrageous when it comes to the blockage of aid into Gaza,” he told Nine’s Today Show on Friday.

“Now, of course, we’ve got additional settlements going into the West Bank, so the behaviour of the Israeli government is pretty provocative at the moment.

“But I’m sure the prime minister will do everything he can constructively to work with all those involved for a swift end to this conflict.”

Canada, France and the UK last week warned of “further concrete action” if Israel doesn’t halt its military campaign and lift aid restrictions.

A ceasefire deal brokered by the White House and signed off by Israel has renewed hope.

The proposal hasn’t been fully detailed publicly and has been submitted to Hamas.

It comes ahead of a major international summit which will debate Palestinian statehood in New York in June.

Australia hasn’t confirmed who will attend the summit as a representative.

Australia’s representative to the United Nations James Larsen welcomed “the conference’s ambition of a time-bound, irreversible pathway towards a two-state solution”.

Israel has criticised any push for Palestinian statehood as rewarding Hamas’ terrorism, a point that has been reiterated by some Jewish groups in Australia as well as the opposition.

Asked by Mark Levy on Sydney’s Radio 2GB this morning whether the Prime Minister should visit Israel, ECAJ co- CEO Peter Wertheim strongly backed the idea.

“Too many people express strong opinions on the subject based solely on what they observe via the distorted lens of television and social media”, he told J-Wire.

There is no substitute for going there and seeing things for yourself first hand. It gives you a deeper understanding of the true dynamics of the conflict and of the vibrancy and diversity of Israeli society. That is why opponents of Israel have gone all out to try to shut down trips to the country that they don’t control.”

Dr Colin Rubenstein, executive director of the Australia/Israel and Jewish Affairs Council, told J-Wire: “We strongly agree with President Herzog that it would be helpful for Prime Minister Albanese to visit Israel, especially in light of his recent condemnation of Israel’s tactics in Gaza. It would hopefully enable Mr Albanese to better understand the truth about what is happening in Gaza – and what is necessary to achieve what his government has always agreed is the current war’s key goal, namely, that Hamas must have no future role in governing Gaza.

Mr Albanese would also gain an insight into the huge amounts of aid which previously entered Gaza, the massive extent to which Hamas misappropriated it, and the steps Israel is now taking to ensure the aid goes to Gaza’s civilians rather than to

Hamas, which Australia should be assisting rather than undermining, and how this plan accords with established international law, which allows aid to be blocked if that aid is assisting the enemy in conducting its military campaign.

The straining of relations between Israel and Australia is against the interests of both countries – Australia also benefits greatly in technology, security and many other areas from our friendship with Israel, and improved ties would clearly be to their mutual benefit. “

The president of the Zionist Federation of Australia, Jeremy Leibler, added: “We welcome President Herzog’s invite for the Prime Minister to visit Israel, and we encourage the PM to accept.

Israel and Australia have a long-standing connection as democratic allies; ensuring the relationship between our two nations is strong is crucial, particularly in a post-October 7 world.”

 

By: Dominic Giannini/AAP with J-Wire