Penny Wong slammed by US Secretary of State after introducing sanctions on Israeli officials
Australia has come under fire from US Secretary of State Marco Rubio for backing sanctions against two senior Israeli officials, accusing it of turning a blind eye to the 'real enemy'.
Foreign Minister Penny Wong announced on Wednesday the targeted sanctions in a joint statement alongside her counterparts from Canada, New Zealand, Norway and the United Kingdom.
The measures - which include travel bans and financial sanctions - are against National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who have been accused of inciting 'extremist violence and serious abuses of Palestinian human rights'.
Mr Ben-Gvir, from the Jewish Power party, and Mr Smotrich, of the Religious Zionism Party, are members of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu 's coalition government.
Mr Rubio on Wednesday said that he conemns the move,
'These sanctions do not advance U.S.-led efforts to achieve a ceasefire, bring all hostages home, and end the war,' he said.
'We reject any notion of equivalence: Hamas is a terrorist organization that committed unspeakable atrocities, continues to hold innocent civilians hostage, and prevents the people of Gaza from living in peace.
'We remind our partners not to forget who the real enemy is.
Asked about Mr Rubio's condemnation of the sanctions, the foreign minister said that despite their differences Australia and the US remained aligned on strategic interests.
'We will continue to be part of the international call for aid to enter (Gaza) unhindered, unimpeded,' Senator Wong said.
'That is Israel's obligation.
'These two ministers have been the most extremist and hard line of an extremist settler enterprise, which is both unlawful and violent.
'Australia can't shift the dial on the Middle East by ourselves.
'What we can do is act with others, and that's what we've done.'
'We will continue to advocate for a ceasefire and the return of hostages, and we will continue to condemn Hamas and its terrorist ideology.'
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar called the sanctions 'outrageous' and said his government would hold a meeting early next week to decide how to respond to the 'unacceptable decision' made by the five countries.
Although the sanctions focus on the West Bank, the foreign ministers said 'this cannot be seen in isolation from the catastrophe in Gaza'.
The Australian Jewish Association said it was appalled by the federal government's actions and accused it of anti-Semitism.
'This action represents a hostile and unjustified attack on a democratic ally and must be condemned in the strongest possible terms,' CEO Robert Gregory said.
'This government's willingness to engage with authoritarian regimes... while targeting the world's only Jewish state, exposes a disturbing double standard.
'There is no other explanation for this disparity than blatant antisemitism.'
'This government's willingness to engage with authoritarian regimes, including Holocaust deniers like Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, while targeting the world's only Jewish state, exposes a disturbing double standard.
'There is no other explanation for this disparity than blatant anti-semitism.'
The Australian Centre for International Justice said the decision was a significant step and would send a clear message.
'These measures directly respond to the compelling evidence implicating Ben-Gvir and Smotrich in inciting extremist violence and serious human rights violations against Palestinians,' acting executive director Lara Khider said.
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