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Sky News AU
19 minutes ago
- Sky News AU
The 'best way' for Anthony Albanese to make amends with Benjamin Netanyahu laid out by Jewish Liberal MP Julian Leeser
The path for Anthony Albanese to make amends with Netanyahu has been laid out by senior Jewish Liberal MP Julian Leeser, after Albanese was called a 'weak man' by Israel's Prime Minister. On Wednesday, the Israel-Australia relationship hit a new low after the turmoil following the Albanese government's decision to recognise Palestinian statehood. Mr Netanyahu called Mr Albanese 'weak' and accusing him of abandoning Jewish Australians. While Mr Albanese downplayed any personal offence, noting that Mr Netanyahu has made similar remarks about other leaders, Mr Leeser told Sky News it was 'sad' the relations between the two countries had 'got to this point' under Labor. 'Australia was there from the foundation of the modern state of Israel. We were there when Australian troops were part of the charge of the (Australian) Light Horse at Beersheba. We were the first nation to vote for Israel in the United Nations at its founding,' he said. 'To be in a situation where we've got a friend, an ally and a security partner with whom we've got relations, they've deteriorated to this point, is a poor reflection on the way in which this government has handled the foreign policy of the country.' Mr Leeser said if the Prime Minister wanted to make amends with Netanyahu and repair Australia's relationship with Israel, he should implement Special Envoy to Combat Antisemitism Jillian Siegel's recommendations. 'That's the best way that he can rebut the criticisms that Mr Netanyahu has made of him,' Mr Leeser said. Asked if it was Australia that changed or Netanyahu, considering the Israeli Prime Minister made similar criticisms against Canada, the UK and France for their recognition of Palestine announcements, Mr Leeser insisted the answer was Australia. 'I think Australia has changed. Australia's policy has changed in this regard. Ever since the Albanese government came to office, they have walked away from traditional policy in relation to Israel,' he said. 'You'll remember the ham-fisted way in which they changed the capital of Israel. You've seen various votes at the United Nations. We've seen the funding of UNRWA. And now we've seen this move for a unilateral recognition of a Palestinian state.' Mr Leeser said Mr Albanese had 'lots of questions to answer' about how he could hold the Palestinian authorities to the conditions tied to Australia's recognition of Palestine and what he would do if Hamas was elected in the West Bank. 'It's Australian foreign policy that's changed. I lament that we've got to this point,' he said. Mr Leeser said Australia differed from France, the UK and Canada in that it was one of a small number of countries that had stood with Israel against 'international pylons', but since Mr Albanese was elected that 'ceased to be the case." The Jewish MP said Australia was for a two-state solution but said other issues needed to come before Palestinian recognition. 'In relation to what's happening in Israel with the settlements, we've always been clear about this. We are for a two-state solution and the desire to put some of these settlements in place by some of the ministers in the Israeli government is because they don't want to see the two-state solution and therefore we do not support the settlements,' Mr Leeser said. 'We believe that issues around settlements and borders about the final status of places like Jerusalem and other issues are really matters that need to come and be discussed and put on the table and resolved before we start talking about whether we can recognise the Palestinians.'
SBS Australia
2 hours ago
- SBS Australia
Diplomatic breakdown or 'consistent' behaviour? Where the Australia-Israel relations stand
Australia-Israel relations, historically steadfast, appear to be quickly deteriorating. After becoming one of the first countries to recognise Israel in 1949, shortly after its inception, Australia has regularly described itself as a "friend of Israel". On Tuesday evening, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu branded Prime Minister Anthony Albanese a "weak politician" who "betrayed Israel" and "abandoned" Australia's Jewish community, in a post on X. Responding to the attack, Albanese told reporters in Adelaide on Wednesday he treats foreign leaders "with respect" and didn't take Netanyahu's description of him as "weak" personally, as diplomatic relations between the leaders deteriorate. "He has had similar things to say about other leaders," Albanese said. "What I say is that Israel, increasingly, there is global concern because people want to see an end to the cycle of violence that we have seen for far too long. That is what Australians want to see as well." While such treatment from Israel against one of its long-time allies may seem uniquely harsh, some experts do not consider it an outlier. Martin Kear, from The University of Sydney's Department of Government and International Relations, told SBS News: "The Israeli government never accepted the diplomatic push for a two-state solution, and it will do everything in its power to hamper any realistic progress along those lines." Relationship 'the worst it has ever been' Australia and Israel's recent tit-for-tat visa cancellations could amount to the "lowest diplomatic relationship" between the countries, Kear said. Simcha Rothman, a politician in Israel's fringe national religious party known as Religious Zionism, was due to start a speaking tour in Australia but was denied entry into the country. The party is part of Netanyahu's governing coalition. In an interview earlier this year with Britain's Channel 4 News, Rothman denied Palestinian children in Gaza were dying of hunger due to Israel's limitations on food and aid. When asked by a reporter why Israel won't let Palestinian children flee to Israel, he replied: "Because they are our enemies." "They are our enemies and according to international treaties about refugees in the time of war, you don't let them conquer your country with refugees." Opposition leader Sussan Ley accused the government of playing fast and loose with Australia's historically close ties with Israel. "This is an elected member of the Israeli parliament, and it's a very unusual thing to refuse a visa. I haven't seen explanations from Tony Burke that actually explain what is going on here," she said. Liberal senator James Paterson called the bilateral relationship between the two countries "the worst it has ever been since the creation of the state of Israel following World War II." Following Rothman's visa cancellation, Israel's foreign minister, Gideon Sa'ar, announced a decision to revoke the visas of Australian representatives to the Palestinian Authority (PA). He said it was in direct response to Australia's recognition of a Palestinian state and for refusing entry to Israeli figures. Experts say the move — earlier described as "unjustified" by Foreign Minister Penny Wong — could complicate Australia's efforts to help form a blueprint for statehood with local Palestinian politicians. Israel's visa retaliation 'unjustified' Although it may appear Netanyahu is singling out Australia — rarely mentioning Albanese by name or making direct comment on Australia's foreign policy — an international relations expert said this reflects a broader pattern of behaviour. Jessica Genauer, senior lecturer in international relations at Flinders University, told SBS News: "This is quite consistent with the way that Benjamin Netanyahu has responded to other countries around the world, in particular Western countries; countries that have traditionally been allies of the United States, deciding to recognise a state of Palestine." "We've got the UK, France, and then also Canada, who've said that they would be recognising a Palestinian state in September [at the United Nations General Assembly], and we've had criticism from Benjamin Netanyahu in those cases as well," she said. Notably, in August last year, Israel revoked the diplomatic status of eight Norwegian diplomats serving the occupied Palestinian Territory after it recognised a Palestinian state months earlier. Finance Minister Katy Gallagher told the ABC on Tuesday: "At a time when we need more diplomacy and more dialogue between countries, it is a disappointing decision. We're not surprised necessarily by it," speaking of Israel's visa retaliation against Australia's PA representatives. "We saw similar steps taken against other countries, for example, Norway, when a decision was taken about recognising Palestine. But our view is this is unjustified, and we need more talk, more diplomacy, more channels in for discussion than we've needed before," she said. Position 'consistent' with Palestinian statehood Revoking visas for people the Australian government has raised concerns about around this topic is also not new. In 2017, Australia blocked the visa of prominent Palestinian activist, Bassem Tamimi , just hours before he was due to travel, citing that "members of the public will react adversely to [his] presence in Australia regarding his views of the ongoing political tensions in the Middle East". LISTEN TO Kear said Rothman's visa cancellation this week is a move broadly in alignment with the stated goal of pushing for a two-state solution. "This is a person who doesn't recognise Palestinians exist at all, and there should never be a Palestinian state," he said, speaking of Rothman. While liberal democracies like Australia are required to "respect a variety of views within the public arena", Genauer said it's "entitled to say that they do not want extreme or divisive elements within the borders of their own territory". "Australia is wanting to take a little bit stronger stance towards Israel and exert pressure where they can, I think, out of concern for the ongoing humanitarian situation in Gaza," she said. Rothman has told Israeli broadcaster Arutz Sheva he believes the visa decision wasn't made because of him, but about the state of Israel. "It's not banning me, it's banning Israel, it's banning Israelis, and it's banning Jewish people from having debate or discourse in Australia, which is terrible," he said. Rothman claims the email he received from the Australian government states his visit would cause "unrest among the Muslim community in Australia". "The Australian government is trying to appease terror, and appeasing terror never worked and it never will work. We learned this the hard way on October 7th [2023]. Sadly, apparently, the government of Australia did not learn this lesson," he said. Kear said he believes Rothman's response is consistent with the "traditional ultranationalist playbook where any criticism of Israeli politics or policies is deemed as being inherently antisemitic, where Israel is the epitome of Judaism, which is highly contested within the Jewish world". "I don't think it's a general reflection of what's happening in Australia at all."
Perth Now
2 hours ago
- Perth Now
ABC's new move after Lattouf saga
ABC employees have been hit with a new set of public comment rules in light of the Antoinette Lattouf case. The rules were announced at the ABC in an all-staff email and will replace the previous social media guidelines, sensationally thrown out shortly after Lattouf successfully won her unlawful termination suit against the ABC. The guidelines extend to company workers not just on social media but additionally at public events or 'any context where comments may reasonably be expected to reach a public audience'. The new guidelines come after the ABC lost its unlawful termination case brought by Antoinette Lattouf. NewsWire / Nikki Short. Credit: News Corp Australia In the document under the expected standards, ABC employees are not to make public comments that 'undermines your perceived or actual ability to perform your role; undermines the independence or integrity of the ABC or any ABC editorial content; implies ABC endorsement of your personal views; is on behalf of the ABC, or in a way that could be seen as representing the ABC, without prior authorisation'. Lattouf was hired on a five-day presenting role for ABC Radio in Sydney in December 2023 before being fired after she shared a social media post relating to the Israel-Palestine conflict. Lattouf, who attended the pro-Palestine march across the Sydney Harbour Bridge, claimed the ABC acted against the Fair Work Act. NewsWire / Damian Shaw. Credit: News Corp Australia The Federal Court later found the company had dismissed Lattouf for expressing political opinion, which was a breach of the Fair Work Act (Cth) 2009. Under the new rules, a worker's contract may include 'specific restrictions' around public comment. 'Public comments that do not meet the standards set out in these guidelines will be managed by line management, in consultation with People & Culture and Editorial Policies where required and may constitute a breach of the ABC's Code of Conduct,' the guidelines read. 'A breach of the Code of Conduct will be dealt with in accordance with the relevant ABC employment contract and/or enterprise agreement and may lead to disciplinary action, including possible termination of employment.'
