The 'best way' for Anthony Albanese to make amends with Benjamin Netanyahu laid out by Jewish Liberal MP Julian Leeser

Sky News AU

2 days ago

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.'