‘Disgusting': Albanese government condemned by US Ambassador to Israel and Israeli Ambassador to Australia over joint statement on Gaza War
The US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee has condemned Australia's decision to join 27 other countries in issuing a joint statement criticising Israel's actions in Gaza.
It comes after Foreign Minister Penny Wong signed a statement which accused Israel of 'drip feeding aid' and 'killing civilians, including children'.
The Albanese government has since been criticised by Mr Huckabee, as well as Israel's Ambassador to Australia and shadow foreign affairs minister Michaelia Cash.
In a fiery statement, the US Ambassador to Israel described the joint statement as 'disgusting'.
'Twenty-five nations put pressure on Israel instead of savages of Hamas! Gaza suffers for one reason: Hamas rejects every (ceasefire) proposal,' he said.
'Blaming Israel is irrational.' — Ambassador Mike Huckabee (@GovMikeHuckabee) July 21, 2025
Shadow foreign affairs minister Michaelia Cash said the Albanese government's stance on Israel was 'disappointing'.
'It is disappointing that once again the Albanese government is supporting a statement attacking Israel,' Ms Cash said in a statement on Tuesday.
'First and foremost, any moral outrage about the situation in Gaza should be directed at Hamas.
'Hamas could end the suffering of the people of Gaza by freeing the remaining Israeli hostages and laying down their weapons.'
The United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, France, and Italy are among the governments who signed the communique.
However, other allies including the United States, Germany, Czech Republic, Hungary, and Slovakia did not sign the document.
The Ambassador of Israel to Australia, Amir Maimon, rejected the Albanese government's statement, calling it 'disconnected from reality'.
'Israel rejects the joint statement published by a group of countries, including Australia, as it is disconnected from reality and sends the wrong message to Hamas,' he said.
The condemnation follows mounting criticism of the Israeli government's actions in Gaza, particularly its handling of humanitarian aid.
The joint statement criticised Israel's 'dangerous' aid delivery model and accused the Israeli government of depriving Gazans of their dignity by limiting essential supplies.
Israel has rejected many of the claims about civilian deaths and blockages of humanitarian aid.
As federal politicians returned to Canberra, for the first sitting fortnight since the election, activists rallied on the lawns outside Parliament House.
The protesters paraded around with anti-Israel posters and held signs that said things like 'Albanese, Wong, gutless American patsies'.
There were also decapitated bloody dolls strewn over a large sign that featured US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The protest was at the back entrance to Parliament House, where Mr Albanese walked past on Monday.
He also needed to pass the protest on his way in to open parliament on Tuesday.
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Sydney Morning Herald
2 minutes ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
Israel's denials don't change the fact that children are starving
The Israeli embassy says there's no starvation in Gaza. That the images are fake. That the dying children aren't real (' Israel's denial of starvation reports in Gaza 'beyond comprehension' ' July 29). But they are real. And we know it. Haaretz, the Israeli newspaper, calls this a policy of starvation. It has documented the blockade of aid, the bombing of bakeries, the shootings at food queues. Wasted bodies. Children dying slow, preventable deaths. Journalist Gideon Levy goes further – he calls this denial 'no less vile than Holocaust denial.' Because it erases the victims. Because it adds insult to the unimaginable cruelty. So how many more must die before Australia acts? Before we impose sanctions? Cut military ties? Recognise Palestine? How many photos of starving children do we need before Anthony Albanese does more than speak? Words don't fill empty stomachs. Lila Malagi, Flinders (Vic) The Deputy Israeli ambassador should read the two reports released on Monday by two Israeli human rights groups, the Israeli-Palestinian human rights group B'Tselem, and the Physicians for Human Rights – Israel, which have concluded that Israel's conduct in Gaza constitutes genocide against the Palestinian population. Or is this just another case of fake news? Joe Collins, Mosman Israel's denial of starvation in Gaza is to be warmly welcomed. It is such a blatant untruth that it reinforces our scepticism about all of Israel's assertions. A government that is prepared to brazenly contradict the plain and heart-breaking evidence clearly cannot be trusted. Claims that the devastation of Gaza and the slaughter of its people are in self-defence, that civilians are never targeted, only Hamas terrorists, that Israel's army is the most moral in the world, that Hamas is solely responsible for the failure of ceasefire negotiations, and so many more, all without evidence, cannot be taken seriously. We should be grateful that Israel's relentless public relations campaign has been so nakedly exposed. Tom Knowles, Parkville (Vic) If the Israeli government insists that the starvation inside Gaza is Hamas propaganda, then why not let the international press in to report independently? Wayne Fitness, Rankin Park Israeli Deputy Ambassador to Australia Amir Meron should be informed that the international media is poised to descend on Gaza and reveal the starvation hoax. It's ready when you are, Amir. 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And where will the 18,000 workers go? Alan Stanley, Upper Corindi Correspondent Bruce Johnson is correct that the export revenue from coal and gas is $55 billion and $90 billion respectively, but how much of that revenue remains in Australia? The gas extraction sector is more than 90 per cent foreign owned, and it has been determined that they pay no royalties on over half of their exports and invariably pay no company tax. The net benefit to Australia is a much smaller number. Graeme Finn, Campsie Danger on wheels With proposed legislation regulating e-bikes and e-scooters being considered by the state government, the concerns of your writer about the need for enforcement of penalties is timely (' Reckless food delivery riders making footpaths 'lawless' ', July 28). Given that many such riders are unlicensed and may not carry any ID, the only effective penalty would appear to be provision for police and council rangers to seize and impound illegally used e-vehicles. They would then only be returned with proof of ownership and payment of a penalty. Lee Cook, Orange As an e-bike rider, I would like the option of taking it on a train at some time. I have a reputable brand for electronics and would be happy to get the equivalent of a 'test and tag' once a year to prove it is safe, with an appropriate, easily visible tag (' E-bikes and e-scooters face Sydney train and metro ban', July 27). Graeme Finn, Campsie I have recently witnessed two incidents while doing school drop-off with my grandchildren – a rider on an e-scooter in the middle of the road without a helmet while using his mobile phone in one hand and vaping with the other, and a young mother with a baby in a carrier on her back and a young child in front of her on the e-scooter on their way to school. Again, no helmets. Colleen Northam, Taree Good news stories I agree with Peter Hartcher and his views on journalism (' Good journalism can seek solutions ', July 29). 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Why should we punish ourselves they way the Americans are punishing themselves? Nicholas Triggs, Katoomba Refund required If the US can't supply the Virginia-class nuclear submarines as stated in the AUKUS agreement, do we get back the $1.6 billion we have already paid? Daniela Catalano, Haberfield Land clearing Unfortunately, many people of NSW believe that they have the right to do whatever they like on their private land, while the 'leaders' they elect allow the ongoing devastation of this once-magnificent landscape and the unique wildlife it nourished (' NSW land clearing on par with Indonesia ', July 29). As usual, there's a handful doing the right thing – environmental groups, progressive crossbenchers, protesters and activists, who, in this shamelessly capitalist climate, are treated as radicals or criminals. If you are not protesting, lobbying, donating or voting for change, you are complicit in the extinctions and carnage we are facing. Marie Healy, Hurlstone Park Cheaper childcare The response by David Rose for more council-run childcare centres piqued my interest (Letters, July 29). I recently asked our local councillors why childcare services could not be restored in the Pittwater ward, given that the merged Northern Beaches Council has nine council-run centres in the former Manly and Warringah wards. I was assured that Pittwater residents were not subsidising childcare provided elsewhere on the northern beaches because the services were 'cost neutral'. If these services are indeed cost neutral, then why the heck are we not establishing more centres for struggling parents, especially given that this council recently increased rates by 25 per cent? Wendy Janssens, Newport
West Australian
2 minutes ago
- West Australian
Gunmen behind Kashmir tourist attack killed: minister
Three suspected militants who were killed in a gunfight in disputed Kashmir were responsible for the gun massacre in the region that led to a military clash between India and Pakistan. Amit Shah said the three men were Pakistani nationals who were killed in a joint operation by the military, paramilitary and police on Monday on the outskirts of Kashmir's main city of Srinagar. Shah made the remarks in India's lower house of the parliament, and The Associated Press could not independently verify the details. Shah said the bodies of the men were identified by people who had provided food and shelter to them before they carried out the massacre in April. He cited a forensic report and said the rifle cartridges found at Monday's gunbattle site matched those used during the attack. The April gun massacre killed 26 people, mostly Hindu tourists. New Delhi blamed the attack on Pakistan, which denied responsibility while calling for a neutral investigation. It led to tit-for-tat military strikes by India and Pakistan that brought the nuclear-armed rivals to the brink of their third war over the region. Dozens of people were killed on both sides until a ceasefire was reached on May 10 after US mediation. The four-day fighting between the nuclear-armed rivals was their worst in decades. Before the April gun massacre in the Kashmiri resort town of Pahalgam, fighting had largely ebbed in the region's Kashmir Valley, the heartland of anti-India rebellion and mainly shifted to mountainous areas of Jammu in the past few years. India and Pakistan each administer part of Kashmir, but both claim the Himalayan territory in its entirety. Militants in the Indian-controlled portion of Kashmir have been fighting New Delhi's rule since 1989. India describes militancy in Kashmir as Pakistan-backed terrorism, which Pakistan denies. Many Muslim Kashmiris support the rebels' goal of uniting the territory, either under Pakistani rule or as an independent country. Tens of thousands of civilians, rebels and government forces have been killed in the conflict.
Perth Now
2 minutes ago
- Perth Now
Gunmen behind Kashmir tourist attack killed: minister
Three suspected militants who were killed in a gunfight in disputed Kashmir were responsible for the gun massacre in the region that led to a military clash between India and Pakistan. Amit Shah said the three men were Pakistani nationals who were killed in a joint operation by the military, paramilitary and police on Monday on the outskirts of Kashmir's main city of Srinagar. Shah made the remarks in India's lower house of the parliament, and The Associated Press could not independently verify the details. Shah said the bodies of the men were identified by people who had provided food and shelter to them before they carried out the massacre in April. He cited a forensic report and said the rifle cartridges found at Monday's gunbattle site matched those used during the attack. The April gun massacre killed 26 people, mostly Hindu tourists. New Delhi blamed the attack on Pakistan, which denied responsibility while calling for a neutral investigation. It led to tit-for-tat military strikes by India and Pakistan that brought the nuclear-armed rivals to the brink of their third war over the region. Dozens of people were killed on both sides until a ceasefire was reached on May 10 after US mediation. The four-day fighting between the nuclear-armed rivals was their worst in decades. Before the April gun massacre in the Kashmiri resort town of Pahalgam, fighting had largely ebbed in the region's Kashmir Valley, the heartland of anti-India rebellion and mainly shifted to mountainous areas of Jammu in the past few years. India and Pakistan each administer part of Kashmir, but both claim the Himalayan territory in its entirety. Militants in the Indian-controlled portion of Kashmir have been fighting New Delhi's rule since 1989. India describes militancy in Kashmir as Pakistan-backed terrorism, which Pakistan denies. Many Muslim Kashmiris support the rebels' goal of uniting the territory, either under Pakistani rule or as an independent country. Tens of thousands of civilians, rebels and government forces have been killed in the conflict.
