AIJAC criticises government position on Lebanon

The Australia/Israel & Jewish Affairs Council has criticised the federal government’s call for de-escalation in Lebanon, arguing the position risks misrepresenting the origins of the conflict and drawing false equivalence between Israel and Hezbollah.

IDF troops of the 769th ‘Hiram’ Brigade operate in southern Lebanon on March 29, 2026. (Israel Defense Forces Spokesperson’s Unit)

The comments follow recent statements by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Foreign Minister Penny Wong urging restraint across the Middle East, including Lebanon, as tensions continue between Israel and Iran-backed groups.

AIJAC executive director Colin Rubenstein said while the desire to see an end to the fighting was understandable, the government’s framing was “unhelpful”.

“While everyone wants the current conflicts in the Middle East to come to a close as quickly as possible, Senator Wong’s comments calling for de-escalation across the region, including Lebanon, are unhelpful,” he said.

“She is, in effect, supporting the position of the Iranian regime in opposition to both Washington and Jerusalem, which have indicated no ceasefire arrangement is in place for Lebanon.”

Dr Colin Rubenstein

Rubenstein said the government’s language risked obscuring how the conflict on Israel’s northern border began.

“Some of her wording has not only obscured the fact that the current conflict in Lebanon followed Hezbollah launching missile barrages into northern Israel, but effectively treated Israel and Hezbollah as equivalents, even though the latter is a listed terrorist organisation in Australia, and the former is a long-standing friend,” he said.

Australia formally lists Hezbollah in its entirety as a terrorist organisation, in line with the United States and several other Western countries.

Cross-border hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah have persisted since October 2023, when the Iran-backed group began firing rockets and missiles into northern Israel in the aftermath of the Hamas attacks in southern Israel. Israel has responded with sustained airstrikes against Hezbollah positions in southern Lebanon, raising concerns among international observers about the risk of a broader regional conflict.

Diplomatic efforts led by the United States and France have focused on preventing further escalation, including attempts to reinforce the terms of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701, which calls for Hezbollah to withdraw its forces north of the Litani River and for the Lebanese state to assert control in the south.

The Albanese government has consistently called for de-escalation across multiple fronts, including Gaza and Lebanon, while maintaining that Israel has a right to defend itself and stressing the need to protect civilian lives.

Rubenstein said clearer recognition of the role of Iran and its proxies was needed to achieve stability.

“War is terrible and it is natural to want the suffering it causes to come to an end, including in Lebanon,” he said.

“But the comments coming out of this Government fail to reflect who and what is responsible for the current conflict. They risk being unhelpful to achieving the more stable future for the region which all people of goodwill want.”

He added that any lasting resolution would require addressing “the threat created by violent, terrorist actors like Hezbollah and its masters in the Iranian regime”.

AIJAC is a leading Australian public affairs organisation that advocates for Israel and promotes informed debate on Middle East policy, antisemitism and Jewish community issues.