Queensland parliament acknowledges the 70th anniversary of the State of Israel
The Queensland Government has marked Israel’s 70th anniversary through an address through parliament.
Steve Minniken
Shadow Minister for Roads and Transport Steve Minnikin told the Queensland parliament that Australia established diplomatic relations with Israel in January 1949.
He said: “Israel is a young country but has achieved so much – Nobel Peace prizewinners, world-first discoveries, life-saving technologies, music and the Arts.”
Minnikin told parliament that Israel is often referred to as “the miracle nation”. He added that Australia and Israel have “much in common” mentioning their democratic values and their pioneering spirit.
Queensland has a common history with Israel goes back way before the formation of diplomatic relations.
As an example, he mentioned: “In World War I, when young Queenslanders played a crucial role in the Allied Forces campaign in the Middle East, particularly the Light Horse Brigade fighting crucial battles against the Turks in Beersheba.”
Parliament was told that “Queensland was a recipient of Holocaust survivors following the Second World War. I want to acknowledge the contribution of these resilient survivors and their families to the economic and cultural life. In areas water, science and innovation and defence industries and many other sectors, Queensland and Israel having been collaborating in some of the challenges facing our State.”
He highlighted a recent visit of Israeli water experts who were consulted on drought problems.
Our glorious State of Queensland and the miracle State of Israel are connected just through friendship but also a commitment of the rule of law, democracy, multiculturism, diversity, free press and support for their citizens to innovate.”
In 2014, Steve Minnikin convened the inaugural bipartisan Queensland Parliamentary Friends of Israel.
Ottoman Empire not just Turks. This empire had soldiers in its ranks from what is present day Turkey, Iran, Iraq, Palestine, Syria and Lebanon to name the main areas and including Muslims, Jews and Christian from the empire.