James Campbell: Australian minister’s brutal insult leaves Israel relationship in tatters

Aside from the US, Australia has been one of the few countries Israel could rely upon to have its back but in two short years, the Albanese government has shredded the relationship, writes James Campbell.

• Dressing down puts Jewish relations at all-time low

It says everything you need to know about the state of ­Australian-Israeli relations in 2024 that their ambassador ­apparently doesn’t merit the famous Penny Wong death stare in person.

After nine months in which the world has been focused on Israel’s campaign to eliminate Hamas from Gaza, attention is turning to the growing chance of a major war on its northern border with Lebanon.

Since October last year, the Iranian-backed Hezbollah has been raining rockets and missiles down on northern Israel.

The signs that all-out war is imminent are everywhere.

In recent days, Saudi Arabia has told its citizens to leave Lebanon, while Iran has warned Israel it faces an ­“obliterating war” if it attacks Hezbollah.

A convoy of Israeli civilian and military vehicles drives through the Gaza Strip on July 2. Picture: AFP

And now, if war does break out, Australia has told Israel it can’t count on our support.

An important message, you would have thought, that ought to have been delivered by the Foreign Affairs Minister herself.

Flag of Israel, depicts a blue Star of David on a white background, between two horizontal blue stripes.

But for whatever reason, the task of telling this to Israel’s ambassador fell instead to Penny Wong’s junior-burger assistant Tim Watts.

If the intention was to insult Israel, it was message received.

Senator Penny Wong. Picture: NewsWire / Martin Ollman

Of course, on one level it doesn’t matter what Australia thinks about how Israel should handle a deadly enemy with thousands of precision-guided missiles capable of hitting anywhere in its country.

Even if we were inclined to help – which obviously we are not – it’s unclear what help our bonsai military could offer.

But in another way it does matter.

Israel has plenty of avowed enemies in the world.

Displaced Palestinians flee after the Israeli army issued a new evacuation order for parts of the southern Gaza Strip on July 2. Picture: AFP

It has also has no shortage of countries that pay little more than lip-service to supporting its right to exist.

Historically, aside from the US, Australia has been one of the very few countries Israel could rely upon to have its back.

Until now, that is.

In two short years, the Albanese government has shredded a relationship built up over decades.

Originally published as James Campbell: Australian minister’s brutal insult leaves Israel relationship in tatters