The government rejects Abbott’s comments
Former Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott has called his country to cut $40 million aid to the Palestinian Authority and to move its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem if Donald Trump carries out his suggestion to move the USA embassy.
Tony Abbott meets Benjamin Netanyahu
In The Spectator Tony Abbott writes: “In discussions with the Australian MPs, Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah claimed that his people accepted Israel’s right to exist behind secure borders; but this is hard to credit given Palestinian TV’s consistent glorification of suicide bombers, reference to Jews as the ‘sons of monkeys and pigs’ and claims that the state of Israel is a ‘satanic project’.
Of course, there should be a permanent settlement for a Palestinian state where Jews have the same rights as Palestinians have in Israel. The alternative is a kind of apartheid that’s at odds with Israel’s own values.
And Australia should cut our $40 million a year in aid to the Palestinian Authority while it keeps paying pensions to terrorists and their families. Another way for Australia to demonstrate its unswerving support for Israel, as the Middle East’s only liberal, pluralist democracy, might be to join any move by the Trump administration to move its embassy to Jerusalem.”
But Foreign Minister Julie Bishop has dismissed Tony Abbott’s suggestions.
Fairfax Media reported that there was “an impassioned rebuke from the head of the Palestinian delegation in Australia, Izzat Abdulhadi, who called them “unfounded, unhelpful” and warned of “severe” consequences for Australia in the form of sanctions and condemnation from Muslim countries”.
The news source also reported that “Ms Bishop said Australia ‘does not have any plans to move the Australian embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem’ – a move that would echo the plans of United States President-elect Donald Trump, whose incoming administration sees the relocation of their embassy as a “very big priority”.
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When an Australian ambassador wishes to present his credentials to the President of Israel, guess to which Israeli city he is obliged to ascend. And guess what would happen if he or she refused to do this.
When an Australian ambassador wishes to witness debates in Israel’s parliament, guess to which Israeli city he is obliged to ascend.
When an Australian ambassador wishes to witness open proceedings in Israel’s High Court of Justice, guess to which Israeli city he is obliged to ascend.
Remember when the world refused to recognise Communist China, the world’s most populous nation? Did China really not exist?
What can we learn from the above?
Tony Abbott is suffering from not being relevant anymore as a backbencher after being PM.
Cosmopolitan Tel Aviv is the best location for our embassy as Jerusalem is disputed territory between the many residents who live in this base for the three monotheistic religions – Christian, Muslim and Jewish.
Beside the cost of relocating the embassy with no advantage Tel Aviv is near a port and airport if any staff and Australian ex-pats and visitors have to be evacuated quickly.
Tel Aviv is a nice resort location with a more liberal population that would appeal to embassy staff and tourists.
As with her leader, the man for all seasons, Malcolm Turnbull, Miss Bishop sways which ever way the wind blows. Her cozing up to Iran is a fine example of her commitment to Israel; not.
Hmmm, looks as if it’s easier for Ms. Bishop to give support hypothetically (‘if Australia had been on the UN Security Council, we would have …’) than make it real with action.
I’m afraid I’m with Michael Danby on this one.
Who would know the mind of the beast. We only have his past to reflect upon and the recent depicture of Malcolm Turnbull dancing with the Jewish community would’ve brought out the zealot streak.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-12-31/turnbull-dances-with-jewish-community-at-sydney-synagogue/8155250
http://www.theoccidentalobserver.net/2014/08/australian-pm-caves-in-to-jewish-lobby-on-free-speech-laws/
I don’t think he’s aware of Nostra Aetate when it comes to Muslims and the Jewish role in multiuculturalism.
If any one wanted an example of How incressed Muslim population not only effects the directly the security of the jreush community but also our own national interests .
Just Imagine if the Israeli ambassador threatened our government if Australia did not comply to Israeli interests . It is one thing for a foreign. Government representative to complain or verbalize their displeasure but to bully and threaten Muslim retaliation like the Palestinian representing has done is outrageous . What is even more outrageous is bishops very Quick weak response almost as if to appease the Palestinians and Muslims . Pathetic and a sign of things to come as the Muslim community gets closer to 600,000 compared to our measly 120,000 if that .
Even Academic Greg Barton writes that moving our embassy to Jerusalem will only anger the Muslims and create more terrorism .How pathetic we have to tip toe around the Muslims otherwise they will get angry !