To say ‘never again’ means standing with Israel in its darkest hour
If there was ever an occasion for such a joint response, this was it. The unprovoked terrorist attack by Iranian-backed Hamas was pure evil, inflicting atrocities on innocent Israeli infants, children, women, young people and the elderly. Each of us, as prime ministers, contended with the complexities of the Israel-Palestine question. While there were differences in approach, including our voting record on motions regarding Israel in the UN, we were each steadfast and consistent in our support for the state of Israel and the need for a two-state solution.
While visiting the UK, the opportunity has arisen for me to make what I hope is a further positive contribution. During the week I caught up with my friend, former UK prime minister and fellow AUKUS founder Boris Johnson, who invited me to join him on a visit to Israel. I was pleased to accept his invitation.
In undertaking this visit I hoped to demonstrate solidarity with Israel, its people and our own Australian Jewish community. I never imagined we would ever see the wave of anti-Semitic hatred that has occurred in Australia since the October 7 attacks and the rollout of Israel’s response. I have seen the same hatred here in the UK. Hatred and intimidation directed toward our Jewish community has resulted in Australian Jewish children being afraid to wear their own school uniforms, as it would identify them as a Jew.
We are a proud multicultural society. The shameful attacks on our Jewish community are a stain on our multicultural standing. When planes crashed into the Twin Towers in New York on September 11, 2001, our empathy and support for the US was unconditional, including when the US responded. To the contrary, we activated ANZUS, as it was an attack on the American homeland.
There was also no suggestion that the US had invited this atrocity, by claiming the attacks “had not occurred in a vacuum”, to quote UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres in the UN Security Council after the October 7 attacks on Israel. As PM I also recall the outreach that rightly occurred to our Islamic community, following the horrific terrorist attack on the mosque in Christchurch. Our Jewish community was prominent in reaching out at that time.
Sadly, support and empathy for Israel is beginning to drain. It hasn’t taken long. I can only imagine how isolated and abandoned this must make our Australian Jewish community feel, as they see the protests against them in their own country, as well listening to double minded statements that pretend to offer support. When it comes to Israel, there always seems to be a “but” when offering support. This is proving to be true even after the worst loss suffered by the Jewish people in a single day since the Holocaust.
I know I no longer speak for Australia and nor do I pretend to. However, for all those Australians who wish to declare their support for Israel and the Jewish people, I am happy, through the opportunity of this visit, to carry and convey that message on your behalf. The visit to Israel is also an opportunity to reinforce our deep concern for the welfare of innocents caught up in this awful conflict, Palestinian and Jewish alike.
This includes continuing to encourage Israel, as it seeks to root out Hamas, to do so in a way that protects innocent civilians and enables humanitarian relief. It is also another opportunity to demand the unconditional release of hostages and provide some comfort and support to their families.
It is also important to call out the cowardly conduct of Hamas, which weaponises Palestinian innocents and treats them as shields for its crimes and click bait armoury in its information war against Israel, that only further exacerbates Palestinian suffering.
The visit also provides an opportunity to highlight the need to identify practical solutions for the administration and security of Gaza when the conflict hopefully ends. This will not be easy. There are few, if any, good options. Fundamental to any solution is to enable Gazans and Israelis to live securely and peacefully behind their respective borders.
Israelis should not have to live with the constant prospect of terrorist rockets and worse. Gazans should be able to live peacefully, with hope and wellbeing, in a functioning state.
The people of Gaza deserve leaders who are committed to running schools and hospitals, that build and maintain civic infrastructure and keep them safe by enforcing law and order on their streets. Instead, they get Iranian-backed terrorists stealing their resources to stockpile rockets and build tunnels to hide hostages and launch attacks.
For a two-state solution to work, you need a partner who can effectively and competently run the other state. Imagine if Iran’s resources had been used to enable a functional and capable Palestinian state, rather than financing terrorists like Hamas and Hezbollah. Iran does not support a two-state solution; it seeks the extermination of the Jewish state and its people. Iran deplores the freedom of liberal democracies and takes every opportunity it can to undermine freedom, including pursuing nuclear-weapons capability to threaten and intimidate.
We cannot allow Iran to escape international condemnation for its role in sponsoring the atrocities visited on Israel.
If the UN General Assembly can find the time on around 500 occasions to condemn Israel, perhaps it might consider a motion to condemn Hamas and Iran. Iran’s support for the unprovoked attacks on Israeli innocents was an international crime.
In a world bedevilled by insecurity, we must pay special attention to the company we choose to keep. Our first priority must be to stand with our friends, especially when they are under attack.
That is why I am pleased to have this opportunity to visit Israel at this time and unambiguously and instinctively stand with Israel, Believing in “never again”, demands nothing less.
Scott Morrison served as Australia’s 30th prime minister from 2018 to 2022.
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