Australian protest as activist boat hits Gaza blockade
Protesters have demonstrated outside Anthony Albanese's electorate office after Israel blocked a boat carrying desperately needed aid to Gaza.
Climate advocate Greta Thunberg was among a dozen activists on board the Freedom Flotilla Coalition's vessel Madleen when it was intercepted by Israeli forces in the Mediterranean Sea early on Monday.
They were prevented from entering the blockaded enclave.
Students for Palestine, one of the groups that called for a snap protest at the prime minister's electorate office in Sydney among others around the country, said Australia should expel the Israeli ambassador.
"The Madleen crew represent the hopes of all those who stand for humanity against the starvation and bombardment of Gazans, and they must be immediately released," the group's co-convenor Jasmine Duff said on Monday.
Carrying placards and umbrellas on a rainy Monday they vocalised their anger and demanded Australia diplomatically increase pressure on Israel.
"We call on Anthony Albanese and Penny Wong to immediately expel the Israeli ambassador, cut all military and economic ties with Israel, and pressure Israel to release the illegally kidnapped crew," Ms Duff added.
The Sicily-based coalition said the humanitarian boat was "unlawfully boarded, its unarmed civilian crew abducted, and its life-saving cargo - including baby formula, food and medical supplies - confiscated."
But the Israeli foreign ministry pointed the finger at Thunberg saying it was a "selfie yacht of celebrities" and those on board would be deported to their home countries.
The progressive Jewish Council of Australia also urged Australia to place sanctions on Israel.
"The world is watching," the council's executive officer Sarah Schwartz said.
"We don't have to be a 'major player' to show our commitment to the basic humanity of Palestinians and be part of the global movement to pressure Israel through sanctions to comply with international law,"
The lack of food reaching Gaza caused by Israeli aid obstruction is leaving hundreds of thousands of Palestinians "vulnerable to starvation", the United Nations warned earlier in June.
More than 54,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israel's ongoing military offensive, according to Gaza health officials.
The retaliatory campaign was in response to Hamas militants killing 1200 Israelis and capturing more than 250 hostages in October 2023.
Israel has imposed a naval blockade on the coastal enclave since Hamas took control of Gaza in 2007.
Protesters have demonstrated outside Anthony Albanese's electorate office after Israel blocked a boat carrying desperately needed aid to Gaza.
Climate advocate Greta Thunberg was among a dozen activists on board the Freedom Flotilla Coalition's vessel Madleen when it was intercepted by Israeli forces in the Mediterranean Sea early on Monday.
They were prevented from entering the blockaded enclave.
Students for Palestine, one of the groups that called for a snap protest at the prime minister's electorate office in Sydney among others around the country, said Australia should expel the Israeli ambassador.
"The Madleen crew represent the hopes of all those who stand for humanity against the starvation and bombardment of Gazans, and they must be immediately released," the group's co-convenor Jasmine Duff said on Monday.
Carrying placards and umbrellas on a rainy Monday they vocalised their anger and demanded Australia diplomatically increase pressure on Israel.
"We call on Anthony Albanese and Penny Wong to immediately expel the Israeli ambassador, cut all military and economic ties with Israel, and pressure Israel to release the illegally kidnapped crew," Ms Duff added.
The Sicily-based coalition said the humanitarian boat was "unlawfully boarded, its unarmed civilian crew abducted, and its life-saving cargo - including baby formula, food and medical supplies - confiscated."
But the Israeli foreign ministry pointed the finger at Thunberg saying it was a "selfie yacht of celebrities" and those on board would be deported to their home countries.
The progressive Jewish Council of Australia also urged Australia to place sanctions on Israel.
"The world is watching," the council's executive officer Sarah Schwartz said.
"We don't have to be a 'major player' to show our commitment to the basic humanity of Palestinians and be part of the global movement to pressure Israel through sanctions to comply with international law,"
The lack of food reaching Gaza caused by Israeli aid obstruction is leaving hundreds of thousands of Palestinians "vulnerable to starvation", the United Nations warned earlier in June.
More than 54,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israel's ongoing military offensive, according to Gaza health officials.
The retaliatory campaign was in response to Hamas militants killing 1200 Israelis and capturing more than 250 hostages in October 2023.
Israel has imposed a naval blockade on the coastal enclave since Hamas took control of Gaza in 2007.
Protesters have demonstrated outside Anthony Albanese's electorate office after Israel blocked a boat carrying desperately needed aid to Gaza.
Climate advocate Greta Thunberg was among a dozen activists on board the Freedom Flotilla Coalition's vessel Madleen when it was intercepted by Israeli forces in the Mediterranean Sea early on Monday.
They were prevented from entering the blockaded enclave.
Students for Palestine, one of the groups that called for a snap protest at the prime minister's electorate office in Sydney among others around the country, said Australia should expel the Israeli ambassador.
"The Madleen crew represent the hopes of all those who stand for humanity against the starvation and bombardment of Gazans, and they must be immediately released," the group's co-convenor Jasmine Duff said on Monday.
Carrying placards and umbrellas on a rainy Monday they vocalised their anger and demanded Australia diplomatically increase pressure on Israel.
"We call on Anthony Albanese and Penny Wong to immediately expel the Israeli ambassador, cut all military and economic ties with Israel, and pressure Israel to release the illegally kidnapped crew," Ms Duff added.
The Sicily-based coalition said the humanitarian boat was "unlawfully boarded, its unarmed civilian crew abducted, and its life-saving cargo - including baby formula, food and medical supplies - confiscated."
But the Israeli foreign ministry pointed the finger at Thunberg saying it was a "selfie yacht of celebrities" and those on board would be deported to their home countries.
The progressive Jewish Council of Australia also urged Australia to place sanctions on Israel.
"The world is watching," the council's executive officer Sarah Schwartz said.
"We don't have to be a 'major player' to show our commitment to the basic humanity of Palestinians and be part of the global movement to pressure Israel through sanctions to comply with international law,"
The lack of food reaching Gaza caused by Israeli aid obstruction is leaving hundreds of thousands of Palestinians "vulnerable to starvation", the United Nations warned earlier in June.
More than 54,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israel's ongoing military offensive, according to Gaza health officials.
The retaliatory campaign was in response to Hamas militants killing 1200 Israelis and capturing more than 250 hostages in October 2023.
Israel has imposed a naval blockade on the coastal enclave since Hamas took control of Gaza in 2007.
Protesters have demonstrated outside Anthony Albanese's electorate office after Israel blocked a boat carrying desperately needed aid to Gaza.
Climate advocate Greta Thunberg was among a dozen activists on board the Freedom Flotilla Coalition's vessel Madleen when it was intercepted by Israeli forces in the Mediterranean Sea early on Monday.
They were prevented from entering the blockaded enclave.
Students for Palestine, one of the groups that called for a snap protest at the prime minister's electorate office in Sydney among others around the country, said Australia should expel the Israeli ambassador.
"The Madleen crew represent the hopes of all those who stand for humanity against the starvation and bombardment of Gazans, and they must be immediately released," the group's co-convenor Jasmine Duff said on Monday.
Carrying placards and umbrellas on a rainy Monday they vocalised their anger and demanded Australia diplomatically increase pressure on Israel.
"We call on Anthony Albanese and Penny Wong to immediately expel the Israeli ambassador, cut all military and economic ties with Israel, and pressure Israel to release the illegally kidnapped crew," Ms Duff added.
The Sicily-based coalition said the humanitarian boat was "unlawfully boarded, its unarmed civilian crew abducted, and its life-saving cargo - including baby formula, food and medical supplies - confiscated."
But the Israeli foreign ministry pointed the finger at Thunberg saying it was a "selfie yacht of celebrities" and those on board would be deported to their home countries.
The progressive Jewish Council of Australia also urged Australia to place sanctions on Israel.
"The world is watching," the council's executive officer Sarah Schwartz said.
"We don't have to be a 'major player' to show our commitment to the basic humanity of Palestinians and be part of the global movement to pressure Israel through sanctions to comply with international law,"
The lack of food reaching Gaza caused by Israeli aid obstruction is leaving hundreds of thousands of Palestinians "vulnerable to starvation", the United Nations warned earlier in June.
More than 54,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israel's ongoing military offensive, according to Gaza health officials.
The retaliatory campaign was in response to Hamas militants killing 1200 Israelis and capturing more than 250 hostages in October 2023.
Israel has imposed a naval blockade on the coastal enclave since Hamas took control of Gaza in 2007.
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News.com.au
an hour ago
- News.com.au
Israel to expel French nationals on Gaza aid boat by end of week
Israel is to expel by the end of the week four French nationals held after security forces intercepted their Gaza-bound aid boat, France's foreign minister said Wednesday, as an Israeli NGO said one of the French campaigners was briefly put in solitary confinement. The announcement came as France's prime minister accused activists aboard the boat -- who hoped to raise awareness about the humanitarian situation in war-torn Gaza -- of capitalising on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict for political attention. The four, who include Rima Hassan, a member of European Parliament from the hard-left France Unbowed (LFI) party who is of Palestinian descent, will be deported on Thursday and Friday, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said on X. They were among 12 people on board the Madleen sailboat which was carrying food and supplies for Gaza before it was intercepted by Israeli forces in international waters off the besieged Palestinian territory on Monday. Four, including two French citizens and Swedish campaigner Greta Thunberg, agreed to be deported immediately. The remaining eight were taken into custody after they refused to leave Israel voluntarily, according to Adalah, an Israeli rights NGO representing most of the activists. All 12 of them have been banned from Israel for 100 years. Adalah said on Wednesday that Israeli authorities had placed French MEP Hassan and Brazilian activist Thiago Avila in solitary confinement, with Hassan later removed. - 'Abandoning French prisoners' - "Israeli authorities transferred two of the volunteers -- the Brazilian volunteer Thiago Avila and the French-Palestinian European Parliament member Rima Hassan -- to separate prison facilities, away from the others, and placed them in solitary confinement," Adalah said in a statement. The NGO later said that Hassan had been moved back to Givon prison in Ramla, near Tel Aviv, while Avila remained in isolation. When asked for comment, Israel's prison authority referred AFP to the foreign ministry, which said it was checking the reports. Adalah said Hassan was put in isolation after writing "Free Palestine" on a prison wall. The NGO said Brazilian activist Avila was placed in isolation "due to his ongoing hunger and thirst strike, which he began two days ago." "He has also been treated aggressively by prison authorities, although this has not escalated to physical assault," it added. The leader of Hassan's LFI party in parliament, Mathilde Panot, said France's prime minister Francois Bayrou had failed to condemn Israel's actions. The party's boss, Jean-Luc Melenchon, accused Bayrou of "abandoning the French prisoners", and called on President Emmanuel Macron to step in. "These activists obtained the effect they wanted, but it's a form of instrumentalisation to which we should not lend ourselves," Bayrou responded in the National Assembly. It's "through diplomatic action, and efforts to bring together several states to pressure the Israeli government, that we can obtain the only possible solution" to the conflict, he added. Foreign Minister Barrot also rejected Panot's criticism, saying "the admirable mobilisation" of French officials had made a rapid resolution of the situation possible "despite the harassment and defamation that they have been subjected to". - Mounting pressure - France and Saudi Arabia are co-hosting a UN meeting later this month in New York on steps towards recognising a Palestinian state and reaching a so-called two-state solution to the conflict. Israel is facing mounting pressure to allow more humanitarian aid into Gaza, whose entire population the United Nations has warned is at risk of famine. Israel's defence minister Israel Katz on Wednesday called on Egypt to block a hundreds-strong pro-Palestinian activist convoy from reaching Gaza, as the group arrived in the Libyan capital of Tripoli. Palestinian militant group Hamas on October 7, 2023 attacked Israel, resulting in the deaths of 1,219 people on the Israeli side, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally of official figures. The health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza says the retaliatory Israeli military offensive has killed at least 55,104 people, the majority civilians. The United Nations considers these figures to be reliable. Out of 251 taken hostage during the Hamas attack, 54 are still held in Gaza including 32 the Israeli military says are dead.
The Advertiser
2 hours ago
- The Advertiser
US reduces staffers in Middle East as tensions rise
The United States is drawing down the presence of staffers who are not deemed essential to operations in the Middle East and their loved ones due to the potential for regional unrest, the State Department and military say. The State Department said it has ordered the departure of all non-essential personnel from the US embassy in Baghdad based on its latest review and a commitment "to keeping Americans safe, both at home and abroad". The embassy already had been on limited staffing, and the order will not affect a large number of personnel. The department, however, also is authorising the departure of non-essential personnel and family members from Bahrain and Kuwait. That gives them the option of leaving those countries at government expense and with government assistance. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth "has authorised the voluntary departure of military dependents from locations" across the region, US Central Command said in a statement. The command "is monitoring the developing tension in the Middle East". Tensions in the region have risen in recent days as talks between the US and Iran over its rapidly advancing nuclear program appear to have hit an impasse. The talks seek to limit Iran's nuclear program in exchange for the lifting of some of the crushing economic sanctions that the US has imposed on the Islamic Republic. Iran insists its nuclear program is peaceful. The next round of talks - the sixth - is tentatively scheduled for this weekend in Oman, but US officials said it looked increasingly unlikely that the talks would happen. President Donald Trump, who has previously said Israel or the US could carry out air strikes targeting Iranian nuclear facilities if negotiations failed, gave a less-than-optimistic view about reaching a deal with Iran, telling the New York Post's Pod Force One podcast that he was "getting more and more less confident about" a deal. "They seem to be delaying, and I think that's a shame ... Something happened to them," he said in the interview recorded on Monday. Iran's mission to the UN posted on social media that "threats of overwhelming force won't change the facts". "Iran is not seeking a nuclear weapon, and US militarism only fuels instability," the Iranian mission wrote. Iranian Defence Minister General Aziz Nasirzadeh separately told journalists on Wednesday that he hoped talks with the US would yield results, though Tehran stood ready to respond. "If conflict is imposed on us, the opponent's casualties will certainly be more than ours, and in that case, America must leave the region, because all its bases are within our reach," he said. Earlier, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations centre, a Mideast-based effort overseen by the British navy, issued a warning to ships in the region that it "has been made aware of increased tensions within the region which could lead to an escalation of military activity having a direct impact on mariners". It did not name Iran, though those waterways have seen Iranian ship seizures and attacks in the past. The United States is drawing down the presence of staffers who are not deemed essential to operations in the Middle East and their loved ones due to the potential for regional unrest, the State Department and military say. The State Department said it has ordered the departure of all non-essential personnel from the US embassy in Baghdad based on its latest review and a commitment "to keeping Americans safe, both at home and abroad". The embassy already had been on limited staffing, and the order will not affect a large number of personnel. The department, however, also is authorising the departure of non-essential personnel and family members from Bahrain and Kuwait. That gives them the option of leaving those countries at government expense and with government assistance. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth "has authorised the voluntary departure of military dependents from locations" across the region, US Central Command said in a statement. The command "is monitoring the developing tension in the Middle East". Tensions in the region have risen in recent days as talks between the US and Iran over its rapidly advancing nuclear program appear to have hit an impasse. The talks seek to limit Iran's nuclear program in exchange for the lifting of some of the crushing economic sanctions that the US has imposed on the Islamic Republic. Iran insists its nuclear program is peaceful. The next round of talks - the sixth - is tentatively scheduled for this weekend in Oman, but US officials said it looked increasingly unlikely that the talks would happen. President Donald Trump, who has previously said Israel or the US could carry out air strikes targeting Iranian nuclear facilities if negotiations failed, gave a less-than-optimistic view about reaching a deal with Iran, telling the New York Post's Pod Force One podcast that he was "getting more and more less confident about" a deal. "They seem to be delaying, and I think that's a shame ... Something happened to them," he said in the interview recorded on Monday. Iran's mission to the UN posted on social media that "threats of overwhelming force won't change the facts". "Iran is not seeking a nuclear weapon, and US militarism only fuels instability," the Iranian mission wrote. Iranian Defence Minister General Aziz Nasirzadeh separately told journalists on Wednesday that he hoped talks with the US would yield results, though Tehran stood ready to respond. "If conflict is imposed on us, the opponent's casualties will certainly be more than ours, and in that case, America must leave the region, because all its bases are within our reach," he said. Earlier, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations centre, a Mideast-based effort overseen by the British navy, issued a warning to ships in the region that it "has been made aware of increased tensions within the region which could lead to an escalation of military activity having a direct impact on mariners". It did not name Iran, though those waterways have seen Iranian ship seizures and attacks in the past. The United States is drawing down the presence of staffers who are not deemed essential to operations in the Middle East and their loved ones due to the potential for regional unrest, the State Department and military say. The State Department said it has ordered the departure of all non-essential personnel from the US embassy in Baghdad based on its latest review and a commitment "to keeping Americans safe, both at home and abroad". The embassy already had been on limited staffing, and the order will not affect a large number of personnel. The department, however, also is authorising the departure of non-essential personnel and family members from Bahrain and Kuwait. That gives them the option of leaving those countries at government expense and with government assistance. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth "has authorised the voluntary departure of military dependents from locations" across the region, US Central Command said in a statement. The command "is monitoring the developing tension in the Middle East". Tensions in the region have risen in recent days as talks between the US and Iran over its rapidly advancing nuclear program appear to have hit an impasse. The talks seek to limit Iran's nuclear program in exchange for the lifting of some of the crushing economic sanctions that the US has imposed on the Islamic Republic. Iran insists its nuclear program is peaceful. The next round of talks - the sixth - is tentatively scheduled for this weekend in Oman, but US officials said it looked increasingly unlikely that the talks would happen. President Donald Trump, who has previously said Israel or the US could carry out air strikes targeting Iranian nuclear facilities if negotiations failed, gave a less-than-optimistic view about reaching a deal with Iran, telling the New York Post's Pod Force One podcast that he was "getting more and more less confident about" a deal. "They seem to be delaying, and I think that's a shame ... Something happened to them," he said in the interview recorded on Monday. Iran's mission to the UN posted on social media that "threats of overwhelming force won't change the facts". "Iran is not seeking a nuclear weapon, and US militarism only fuels instability," the Iranian mission wrote. Iranian Defence Minister General Aziz Nasirzadeh separately told journalists on Wednesday that he hoped talks with the US would yield results, though Tehran stood ready to respond. "If conflict is imposed on us, the opponent's casualties will certainly be more than ours, and in that case, America must leave the region, because all its bases are within our reach," he said. Earlier, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations centre, a Mideast-based effort overseen by the British navy, issued a warning to ships in the region that it "has been made aware of increased tensions within the region which could lead to an escalation of military activity having a direct impact on mariners". It did not name Iran, though those waterways have seen Iranian ship seizures and attacks in the past. The United States is drawing down the presence of staffers who are not deemed essential to operations in the Middle East and their loved ones due to the potential for regional unrest, the State Department and military say. The State Department said it has ordered the departure of all non-essential personnel from the US embassy in Baghdad based on its latest review and a commitment "to keeping Americans safe, both at home and abroad". The embassy already had been on limited staffing, and the order will not affect a large number of personnel. The department, however, also is authorising the departure of non-essential personnel and family members from Bahrain and Kuwait. That gives them the option of leaving those countries at government expense and with government assistance. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth "has authorised the voluntary departure of military dependents from locations" across the region, US Central Command said in a statement. The command "is monitoring the developing tension in the Middle East". Tensions in the region have risen in recent days as talks between the US and Iran over its rapidly advancing nuclear program appear to have hit an impasse. The talks seek to limit Iran's nuclear program in exchange for the lifting of some of the crushing economic sanctions that the US has imposed on the Islamic Republic. Iran insists its nuclear program is peaceful. The next round of talks - the sixth - is tentatively scheduled for this weekend in Oman, but US officials said it looked increasingly unlikely that the talks would happen. President Donald Trump, who has previously said Israel or the US could carry out air strikes targeting Iranian nuclear facilities if negotiations failed, gave a less-than-optimistic view about reaching a deal with Iran, telling the New York Post's Pod Force One podcast that he was "getting more and more less confident about" a deal. "They seem to be delaying, and I think that's a shame ... Something happened to them," he said in the interview recorded on Monday. Iran's mission to the UN posted on social media that "threats of overwhelming force won't change the facts". "Iran is not seeking a nuclear weapon, and US militarism only fuels instability," the Iranian mission wrote. Iranian Defence Minister General Aziz Nasirzadeh separately told journalists on Wednesday that he hoped talks with the US would yield results, though Tehran stood ready to respond. "If conflict is imposed on us, the opponent's casualties will certainly be more than ours, and in that case, America must leave the region, because all its bases are within our reach," he said. Earlier, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations centre, a Mideast-based effort overseen by the British navy, issued a warning to ships in the region that it "has been made aware of increased tensions within the region which could lead to an escalation of military activity having a direct impact on mariners". It did not name Iran, though those waterways have seen Iranian ship seizures and attacks in the past.
ABC News
2 hours ago
- ABC News
Richard Marles downplays Trump administration's review of AUKUS
Defence Minister Richard Marles has downplayed concerns the United States will review the AUKUS agreement, insisting it is a "natural" step and will not threaten the acquisition of nuclear-powered submarines. The Pentagon review of the security pact will assess its alignment with Donald Trump's "America-first" agenda and will be led by senior official Elbridge Colby, regarded as an AUKUS sceptic. It follows US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's public call for Australia to boost defence spending by tens of billions of dollars in the near term, which was brushed off by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. A defence official said the purpose of the review was to ensure "allies step up fully to do their part for collective defence". Mr Marles said he remained "very confident" AUKUS would be delivered and suggested an American review was no different to Australia's defence strategic review, which took AUKUS as a given, and a recent UK review. "It's something that it's perfectly natural for an incoming administration to do … It's exactly what we did," he told ABC Melbourne. "There is a plan here, we are sticking to it, and we're going to deliver it." The prime minister has yet to finalise arrangements for his first face-to-face meeting with Mr Trump on the sidelines of next week's G7 summit but has had two disagreements with his administration in recent days, also provoking its anger for sanctioning two Israeli ministers. But Mr Marles said Australia had been briefed in advance about the review and a spokesperson said the government remained confident of the Trump administration's "clear and consistent" support for AUKUS. "I'm very confident that this is going to happen, there's a treaty-level agreement between our three countries [and] it's an agreement that we have been pursuing at a pace," he said. The review has sparked concern in official circles and emboldened AUKUS critics. Former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull, who is avowedly anti-AUKUS, said it was "time to wake up" and renewed calls for Australia to hold its own review, accusing the major parties of a "denial of reality" about the prospects of the submarine deal. Greens senator David Shoebridge also repeated calls for an inquiry and said "every rational observer" would conclude that AUKUS was "sinking". Mr Colby, who is the Pentagon's undersecretary in charge of policy, last year labelled himself an AUKUS "agnostic", saying he supported the idea "in principle" but was "very sceptical in practice". Hours before news broke of the review, he tweeted comments from his superior, Mr Hegseth, calling for US allies in the Indo-Pacific to boost defence spending. Mr Colby was more ambivalent about AUKUS in his confirmation hearings, saying the US government should "do everything we can to make this work" and that it would be "great" to provide the submarines as planned. But he added it would be "a very difficult problem" for the US if it was not possible to make enough submarines to service both American and Australian needs. "We don't want our service men and women to be in a weaker position and more vulnerable and, God forbid, worse because [the submarines] are not in the right place in the right time," he said at the time. A US government source also told the ABC it was "crystal clear" the Trump administration was trying to link the review with its push to get Australia to lift defence spending. Joe Hockey, a former Australian ambassador to the US who is now a defence industry consultant, said he suspected Mr Colby had capitalised on the recent disagreement over defence spending to set up this review. "[Colby] is a bit of a sceptic … He would have seen that as an opportunity," he told ABC Radio National, adding the review was a reminder Australia needed to remain "vigilant". "I keep suggesting to the Australian government in various ways that you can't ignore the Trump administration. You need to deeply engage with it," he said. "Now, [current ambassador] Kevin Rudd has been doing that at various levels, but ultimately it is really important that the prime minister and the president, when they meet next week, have a detailed discussion." Mr Hockey said the deal was "all or nothing" for Australia. "If we do not get the Virginia-class submarines in 2032, we have no options left. We have no submarines … If you're not going to partner with the United States, who do you partner with?" Richard Spencer, a former secretary of the US Navy and now the chair of defence company Austal, told ABC Radio National he was confident the review would affirm the merits of AUKUS. "I have nothing but respect for Bridge Colby's ability to analyse complex situations … I am one of the believes that thinks AUKUS is one of the best bits of state-craftery in recent years," he said. "I think it's completely normal for the Trump administration to do a review … I actually welcome the review, because every time something is reviewed, questioned and answered, I believe it strengthens the actual precepts of the agreement itself." Angus Taylor, the Coalition's defence spokesperson, said the review was "deeply concerning" and added to "a growing list of issues in Australia's relationship with the United States". "If this review has been triggered by the Albanese government's refusal to commit to increased defence spending and its sanctioning of two Israeli ministers, then the government has very serious questions to answer," he said.
