Former prime minister Scott Morrison has landed in Israel, in the first visit to the Jewish state by an Australian politician since Hamas crossed the border from Gaza and slaughtered more than 1400 Israeli citizens on October 7.
Morrison was a strong supporter of Israel in office, including recognising West Jerusalem in 2018 as the country’s capital, a position since reversed by the Albanese government.
Former Australian prime minister Scott Morrison and former UK prime minister Boris Johnson meet the chairman of World Likud, Danny Denon, after arriving in Israel on Sunday.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese spoke to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday, more than three weeks after the war began, and he has not visited the Jewish state.
Morrison has been joined on the trip by former British prime minister Boris Johnson.
Morrison said he was “thankful for the opportunity to join former prime minister Johnson to come to Israel as a demonstration of solidarity with the people and State of Israel and the Jewish community throughout the world.
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“It is an opportunity to understand firsthand what is occurring on the ground, honour those who have been lost, show support to those who have suffered and are now engaged in this terrible conflict and discuss how to move forward,” he said
The former prime ministers will reportedly meet Israeli President Isaac Herzog and family members of hostages abducted by Hamas. There are also plans to visit Israeli villages in the south where civilians were slaughtered when Gazan fighters broke into their homes.
Last week, Morrison was one of six former prime ministers to issue a joint letter declaring there was “no more tenaciously evil race hatred than antisemitism” and warning that terrorist organisation Hamas wanted to fuel ancient hatreds throughout the world.
As Morrison began his visit to Israel, Greens leader Adam Bandt faced calls to apologise after the minor-party leader shared on social media a “Stand with Gaza” flyer that included a map of Palestine in which the borders of Israel do not appear.
The post, shared on X on Thursday, was deleted at the weekend.
Australia/Israel & Jewish Affairs Council executive director Colin Rubenstein said the Greens had sunk to a new low and their leader had “implicitly endorsed calls for the destruction of Israel. This puts the Greens completely outside mainstream political discourse and debate,” Ruebenstein wrote.
Greens leader Adam Bandt on October 16 after he pushed to replace in a motion support for Israel’s right to defend itself with a condemnation of the bombing of Palestinian civilians. Credit: Alex Ellinghausen
“The inclusion of a map of ‘Palestine’ including the entirety of Israel makes very clear what the march organisers mean when they call for a ‘Free Palestine’.
“It is absolutely appalling that a member of parliament in this country could behave in this way, let alone the leader of a prominent political party. Mr Bandt should immediately dissociate himself from this event and organisation. Furthermore, he should make a full and unequivocal apology not only to the Jewish community, but to all Australians.”
Bandt was contacted for comment.
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On October 16, Bandt pushed in parliament to replace support for Israel’s right to defend itself in Albanese’s motion with a condemnation of the bombing of Palestinian civilians and a warning against the imminent invasion of the Gaza Strip, in an amendment also backed by teal independents Sophie Scamps and Kylea Tink.
But the change was rejected before the Coalition and independents sided with the government in a final vote of support for Israel.
“The Greens voted against the looming invasion of Gaza, but the rest of parliament voted to back it,” Bandt later said. “A humanitarian disaster in Gaza can turn into a humanitarian catastrophe if the invasion proceeds.”
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