Scott Morrison blasts UN as anti-Semitic, an intellectual fraud

The PM has accused the UN of fostering anti-Semitic treatment of Israel, and challenged Labor over its embassy strategy.

Scott Morrison has launched a scathing attack on the UN. Picture: AAP

Scott Morrison has accused the United Nations of “intellectual fraud” and an perpetrating an anti-Semitic treatment of Israel in a speech to parliament today.

The Prime Minister also doubled down on his commitment to moving the Australian embassy in Israel to West Jerusalem in a challenge to Labor leader Bill Shorten to follow suit.

“The UN General Assembly is now the place where Israel is bullied and where anti-Semitism is cloaked in language about human rights,” he says.

“Think about it: a nation of immigrants; with a free press; parliamentary democracy; financially prosperous; the source of tremendous innovation in the world; and a refuge from persecution and genocide, is somehow the centre of cruelty in the world.

“It is intellectual fraud.”

Israel has been the target of attacks in the UN for many decades, and it has led the United States to recently withdraw from a number of UN organisations.

Mr Morrison said the government would not stand by and allow those attacks to continue, and would strongly oppose anti-Israel resolutions at the UN.

“In the past, we had abstained on these resolutions. Not anymore. And not on my watch going forward.

“My government will not turn a blind eye to an anti-Semitic agenda masquerading as defence of human rights.”

Mr Morrison also repeated his resolve to eventually move the Australian embassy in Israel to West Jerusalem.

“My government is resolved to ensure our commitment to Israel remains as firm into the future as it was 70 years ago,” he says.

“That is why our Government has acted for Australia to now recognise West Jerusalem — the seat of the Knesset and many institutions of government — as the capital of the State of Israel.

“And we look forward to moving our Embassy to West Jerusalem when practical, in support of, and after final status determination.”

Mr Morrison decided to name West Jerusalem the capital of Israel and commit to a future embassy there, after a months-long process to determine whether Australia would follow the US’s lead and establish an embassy in Jerusalem.

The Opposition Leader reiterated his support for Israel and for an eventual Palestinian state. But he did not mention the embassy issue or the United Nations.