Two former Aussie Prime Ministers to be conferred with doctorates
Julia Gillard and Tony Abbott are to be conferred with honorary doctorates in separate universities in Israel this week.
Tony Abbott
Prime Minister Julia Gillard
Former Labor Prime Minister Julia Gillard will receive her doctorate in the Ben-Gurion University of the Negev in Beersheba.
Former Liberal Prime Minister Tony Abbott will receive his on Thursday from the Tel Aviv University.
Tony Abbott is being reported as saying on Sydney radio station 2GB: “The Israelis in their wisdom are giving me an honorary doctorate from Tel Aviv University later in the week, and I’ll also have the chance to discuss the wider security situation and I’m also hoping to visit some Australian troops who are serving in this part of the world.
In 2012 Julia Gillard ruled as a prime minister that Australia would vote against a Palestinian observer status in the UN General Assembly but was forced to change Australia’s direction to vote to abstain following support for her Foreign Minister Bob Carr who had initially had advised abstention.
A spokesperson at the Israeli embassy in Canberra told J-Wire: “As an Embassy, we believe that having these recipients of Honorary Doctorates, coming from both sides of the political map, showcases the bipartisan support of Israel in Australia and the close relationship that our two countries enjoy.”
Julia Gillard yes……and I can understand why David Landa received his Doctorate for his long term commitment to social justice, service to the law [and now no doubt embarrasing special contribution to the Catholic Church], but Tony Abbott?
He doesn’t qualify for anything in my opinion apart from the latter.
Unbelievable.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-03-19/jewish-labor-mp-walks-out-after-tony-abbotts-goebbels-comment/6332910
“The Nazi’s did terrible evil but they had sufficient sense of shame to hide it”.
When for a moment a man is off guard, in all probability you will know more truth about him than all his attempts either to reveal himself or hide himself. The ever present consciousness, habitually hidden flashes forth…..once again.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-09-03/abbott-criticised-for-linking-nazis-and-islamic-state/6747460
One of the great but thankfully few disgraces of the Australian political landscape was Bob Carr.
Carr did little to hide his dislike for Israel and Jews who support Israel.