The Australia/Israel & Jewish Affairs Council has held a briefing by Nationals MP Kevin Hogan and Samuel Mullins, who relayed their impressions from the Rambam Federal Parliamentary group and bipartisan Political Advisor group trips respectively, at an AIJAC luncheon in Sydney.
Kevin Hogan said: “What a wonderful success story Israel is on every level. This is one of the most cosmopolitan successful communities in the world.” He was most struck by the immense sense of the history of the country, particularly being in Bethlehem and Jerusalem, and noted the extreme media bias in Australia when it comes to reporting on the conflict.
Samuel Mullins, Chief of Staff to Assistant Minister for Treasury and Finance the Hon Senator Zed Seselja, was particularly moved by the sense of history and the strong connection to the land that Israelis and Jews possessed. “When you go to a place like Israel, that actual, tangible connection to the land as a home and as a place of deeper meaning is quite extraordinary to encounter in people,” he said.
Director of International & Community Affairs Jeremy Jones thanked the participants, who were both grateful for the opportunity to see the country and get briefed by a range of officials and experts on various aspects of the conflict.