Australians pay their respects
The Federal Labor Member for Melbourne Ports, Michael Danby, accompanied by Bill Shorten and Australia’s Ambassador to Israel Andrea Faulkner, paid respects on the passing of Professor Benzion Netanyahu today. They joined Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who was sitting shiva for his father at the late Benzions house in Rechavia.
Bill Shorten
Michael Danby
Bill Shorten,Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations, Financial Services and Superannuation and Michael Danby, who are in Israel leading an Australia Israel Chamber of Commerce (AICC) mission, joined other mourners Fuad Ben Eliezer(Labor), Meir Shitrit MK (Kadima) who is head of Australia Israel parliamentary group.
Minister Shorten conveyed the condolences of the Australian Government and the Australian people. Michael Danby conveyed the particular sympathy of the Australian Jewish Community. It was the second time Danby had been at the house, recounting to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu a dramatic afternoon he spent with Professor Benzion in1988 when Danby was the editor of the Australia Israel Review. He promised the Prime Minister to ”write a memoire of the encounter with Benzion Netayahu.”
Mr Shorten and Mr Danby were hosted in the Knesset by Bushie Herzog and have spent the past two days conducting high level bilateral meetings with Shimon Peres, Ehud Ya’ari, Israeli Finance Minister Dr. Yuval Shtienitz and the Governor of the Bank of Israel Professor Stanley Fisher.
