MPs speak of “the miracle that is Israel” following trip
“The miracle that is Israel,” were the words Member of Parliament Keith Wolahan (Lib., Menzies) used when describing his impressions on a recent trip to Israel he went on as part of the Australia/Israel & Jewish Affairs Council’s (AIJAC) Rambam study visit program.
[l to r]: AIJAC’s Jamie Hyams, Keith Wolahan (Menzies), Australian journalist Ben Packham, AIJAC’s Joel Burnie, AIJAC National Chairman Mark Leibler, Anne Webster (Mallee), Scott Buchholz (Wright). Photo credit: AIJAC
MP Wolahan was joined by fellow MPs Anne Webster (Nat., Malee), Scott Buchholz (LNP, Wright) and Australian journalist Ben Packham at an AIJAC supporters’ function in Melbourne to give their impressions and reflections on their trip.
Wolahan went on to describe how struck he was by the ancient sites he visited and the deep history of the nation, adding his view that Israel is a “beacon for the world.”
He praised the fact that the program was “unfiltered” giving an opportunity for the guests to speak openly to all interlocutors and for all viewpoints to be shared, something he said was a wonderful aspect of the program. He also called the Rambam study visit one of the “most significant experiences of his life.”
MP Dr Anne Webster described this trip as a bit of a “mindbender”. She recalled her experiences of standing in Sderot, surrounded by bunkers for children to take shelter in from rocket fire from Gaza at bus stops and playgrounds.
She also mentioned she was able to meet the Palestinian Prime Minister, Muhammed Shtayyeh, and had asked him if it would not be “better to actually have an aim that your people can live lives that are productive and have a purpose.” His response, she recalled, was, “I haven’t been asked that before.”
She also expressed appreciation for the “mind-boggling” innovation she had seen and the “passion for life” that existed there in every street.
Finally, she expressed her disappointment, along with Wolahan, in the decision the Labor Party made in the past week regarding the changing of language to be used in the reference to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Australian journalist Ben Packham said the most significant impression he had was the feeling of walking in the historical areas and places from the Bible and getting a clear sense of “Jewish indigeneity to Israel.”
He also spoke about Sderot observing how the playgrounds doubled as bomb shelters, as well as seeing posters in Ramallah that glorified terrorists. He went on to say that he did not get a sense of a “functioning Palestinian government.”
All speakers were appreciative of their trip and the value it brought to them in terms of a better understanding of Israel, the conflict with the Palestinians, and the region.
Every politician loves their trip to Israel, even those of the Labor brand, So how come Australia has a foreign policy that is antithetical to Israel’s interests?