Peter Dutton becomes first Australian politician to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu

Amid rising global tensions, Peter Dutton has become the first Australian politician to meet with the Israeli Prime Minister.

Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has become the first Australian politician to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu following Hamas’ October 7 attacks, where he vowed to “rebuild” Australia’s relationship with the country if the Coalition wins government at the next federal election.

Speaking to Sky News’ Sharri Markson from Jersulalem, Mr Dutton said the meeting lasted for about an hour and was also attended by his national security team.

“I was very grateful for the access and the time that he gave to us,” he said.

“I sent a very clear message on behalf of the Coalition that should we win the next election, we look forward to the relationship becoming stronger and making sure that we can build off the platform of previous Prime Ministers where the relationship has been close and has been strong and to our mutual benefit.”

Opposition Leader Peter Dutton said he had about an hour-long conversation with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Picture: NewsWire/ Martin Ollman

Mr Dutton promised to rebuild Australia’s relationship with the country if the Coalition won government at the next election. Picture: Jim Watson/ AFP

Mr Dutton said the Israeli government was Australia’s “closest” ally in the Middle East, and said it had been a “force for good” over the last few decades.

“We shouldn’t neglect that. We should never forget it.”

He also gave a strongly worded rebuke on the ABC’s chairman Kim Williams and called on him to “show some backbone” and stand up to journalists who have “hijacked the ABC”.

He singled out the broadcaster’s senior journalist Laura Tingle, who has publicly criticised Mr Dutton for using “Trumpian language” and his stance on migrants, as well as Sarah Ferguson’s interview with Israeli Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer on 7.30.

“This is taxpayers money, and it needs to be objective in its reporting. Clearly it’s not, and the inherent bias now, the cultural bias within the ABC, is the reason that their numbers are plummeting,” he said.

“Most Australians find it a distraction from their daily lives and their own views, instead of being the informative news source that it has been for all of us over a long period of time.

“I think there’s people who really have been quite amazed by some of the reporting, particularly the ABC and that’s been expressed to us by different people on this visit.”

I want to thank the families of hostages and survivors for sharing their harrowing accounts from October 7. pic.twitter.com/ye86bykXTZ

— Peter Dutton (@PeterDutton_MP) July 30, 2024

During his three day trip to Israel, the Liberal Leader also met with senior members of Benjamin Netanyahu’s government, including Israeli President Isaac Herzog, Foreign Minister Israel Katz, and Mr Dermer.

Mr Dutton said Australian needed to re-establish “damaged” relationships with Jewish Australians, with anti-Semitism had levels which had “not been evidenced in our country’s history”.

“It’s very confronting to me that when you speak to Holocaust survivors or the descendants, they are very clear in their advice that, frankly, they’re thinking about coming back to Israel because I think it’d be safer with staying in Australia.

“They feel insecure in our country, and there’s a reason for that. So my job is to make sure that we build our equities and make sure we re establish relationships where they’ve been damaged.”

During his trip, Mr Dutton gave a sobering recount of his visit to the site of the Nova Music Festival where 364 people were killed.

“There’s just nowhere to hide. It’s flat ground … people were just mowed down,” he said.

“They were trying to escape into their cars, and the footage of them being shot as they were approaching checkpoints that Hamas had set up. It was it was graphic, it was horrific.

“To see the faces of those young people on the signs, it’s the face of innocence, these people don’t have a political axe to grind.”

Thank you to @yadvashem for its dedication and devotion to remembering those who have fallen at the hands of evil.

The attacks on October 7 were the largest against Jewish people since the Holocaust, in which 6 million people were murdered. pic.twitter.com/u7LxtOXlDi

— Peter Dutton (@PeterDutton_MP) July 31, 2024

Mr Dutton’s visit comes after Prime Minister Anthony Albanese warned against people travelling to Israel, amid fears of escalating conflict in the region.

“I take this opportunity to repeat the Government’s warnings and declarations that people shouldn’t be travelling, Australian citizens shouldn’t be travelling to that region, given the instability which is there and the risks of escalation which are there,” he told Sky News on Monday.

He also reiterated calls for a ceasefire to protect civilian lives.

“It is time for all parties to agree to that ceasefire and those arrangements. We want to see hostilities cease,” he said.

“We want to see a pathway toward peace and security for Israelis and Palestinians in the region. And we certainly warn of the risk which is there of an escalation.

On Wednesday, tensions have no doubt been inflamed following the assignation of Hamas’ head Ismail Haniyeh by Israeli soldiers.

Iranian state TV confirmed the news, and said Mr Haniyeh and a security guard had been ambushed at their place of residence in Tehran – Iran’s capital.

The Israeli government have no commented or taken responsibility for the incident.

Originally published as Peter Dutton becomes first Australian politician to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu