Albanese says Israel and Iran must de-escalate tensions while refusing to back push to dismantle Hezbollah

Anthony Albanese is urging Israel to prioritise ­diplomacy over military action, as Labor comes under pressure to offer more explicit support after Joe Biden declared he was ‘fully, fully, fully supportive of ­Israel’.

Clockwise from main: Families take shelter amid Iran's ballistic missiles attack, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer at No.10 Downing Street, US President Joe Biden at the White House, Anthony Albanese at Moonee Ponds Childcare Centre.

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Anthony Albanese is urging Israel to protect itself by prioritising ­diplomacy over military action against Iran and its terrorist proxies, as Labor comes under pressure to offer more explicit support for the Jewish state with the Middle East on the verge of a broadening conflict.

While the Prime Minister condemned Iran for unleashing ­nearly 200 ballistic missiles on ­Israel, he called on both nations to de-escalate tensions and refused to back Israel’s push to dismantle Hezbollah’s terror infrastructure on its border.

After US President Joe Biden declared he was “fully, fully, fully supportive of ­Israel” following Iran’s attack, Mr Albanese said the Jewish state had a “right to defend itself” but would not endorse ­retaliatory action.

Mr Albanese and Foreign Minister Penny Wong demanded diplomatic solutions in the Middle East and immediate ceasefires in Lebanon and Gaza.

Iran’s attack forced nearly 10 million Israelis into shelters but the only known causality was a Palestinian man in the West Bank.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps vowed further action if ­Israel ­responded, arguing the strikes were an act of self-defence for the Jewish state’s incursion into Lebanon and the assassination of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah.

As the Israeli embassy in Canberra urged the international community to impose “crippling sanctions” on Iran and proscribe the country’s Revolutionary Guard Corps a terrorist organisation, former Liberal prime minister Tony Abbott intervened to speak of the benefits of Israel responding “to unjust force with even greater force”.

“The last thing Israel needs right now is calls for de-escalation and ceasefires from its friends. The only language fanatics understand is strength,” Mr Abbott said, in reference to calls being made by the Albanese government. “It’s to the free world’s benefit that Israel has the strength to ­respond to unjust force with even greater force. ­Israel is a liberal democracy under existential threat that is taking entirely legitimate steps in its own self-defence.”

Mr Albanese dodged a question over whether his government supported Israel’s aim to dismantle Hezbollah while in Melbourne on Wednesday, where he will commemorate the October 7 terrorist attacks next week.

“We regard Hezbollah as a terrorist organisation, as we regard Hamas as a terrorist organisation,” he said. “We’re very concerned about Iran’s actions, which is why we condemn them. It is a good thing that it would appear that the defence of Israel, supported by the United States, has ensured that there is no loss of civilian life, it would appear at this stage. There’s been too much loss of life in that region.

“I understand that for many Australians with family, be it in Israel, the Occupied Palestinian Territories, or in Lebanon, this is a very difficult time. It’s not a time to raise temperature. It’s a time to try to make sure that social cohesion in Australia is valued.”

The Australian understands Mr Albanese has not spoken to Benjamin Netanyahu since April, when he expressed Australia’s anger and concern to the Israeli Prime Minister over the death of aid worker Zomi Frankcom. He also condemned unequivocally the Hamas attacks on October 7.

Senator Wong’s most recent official call to her Israeli counterpart, Israel Katz, was on September 9 but The Australian understands they engage regularly.

The Albanese government on Wednesday “directly” raised its concerns about the missile attack with Iran’s ambassador to Australia, Ahmad Sadeghi, although the representation was made from a senior official in the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

A government spokeswoman suggested it was unlikely IRGC would be proscribed as a listed terror organisation, which would likely force Australia to abandon its embassy in Tehran. “Australia has maintained an uninterrupted diplomatic presence in Iran since our embassy opened in Tehran in 1968 because it is in our national interest,” the spokeswoman said.

“It is a channel through which we are pressing the urgent need for de-escalation, including in Canberra and Tehran.

“Only non-state actors can be listed as terrorist organisations under the criminal code.”

Mr Dutton moved to seize on concern within the Jewish community about the Prime Minister’s stance by making a pre-election pledge to “turn the tide of anti-Semitism” in Australia, declaring the Coalition “will not waver” in backing Israel and Australians of Jewish faith.

The Opposition Leader also fell short of backing an Israeli incursion into Lebanon or retaliation against missile strikes, saying it was up to Israel how it defended itself against Iran.

“That’s an issue for Israel. Israel has been very clear that they’re not going to be subject to attack and nor should they be,” he said.

“The proposal that the United States has – that Australia has walked away from – to try and provide some support and stability in the north of Israel on the border – why the Prime Minister has rejected that? I don’t know.”

Months out from the federal election, which is due by May, Mr Dutton attempted to portray himself as a leader with “moral clarity and courage” to clamp down on anti-Semitism and who could restore social cohesion.

“I – and the Coalition – stand with our ally Israel and with Australians of Jewish faith. And we will not waver,” Mr Dutton said in his new year message to Jewish Australians.

“I am determined to turn the tide of anti-Semitism afflicting our country through political leadership which provides moral clarity and acts with moral courage to restore law, order and social cohesion.”

Colin Rubenstein, executive director of the Australia Israel and Jewish Affairs Council, said governments should back any moves that dismantled Hezbollah’s leadership structure and degraded its ability to kill innocent civilians.

“We are very concerned that Australia seems worryingly out of step with our US ally with regard to Israel and Iran’s actions over the past few days,” Dr Rubenstein said.

“Washington has supported Israel’s recent strikes, including the killing of arch-terrorist Nasrallah, has backed limited ground incursions into Lebanon, provided actual military support to defend Israel against Iran’s massive missile attack, and now promises to help make sure Iran suffers ‘severe consequences’ for its aggression.

“We would welcome the Australian Government offering some measure of similar clarity in its statements and actions. The fact is that Israel’s actions over the past week have helped prevent much worse violence in the future and Australia should join our major ally in indicating as much.”

Australian Federation of Islamic Councils president Rateb Jneid called on the international community to “take swift action to halt the violence that has tragically claimed the lives of countless innocent civilians, including children, women, men and the elderly” in Lebanon and Gaza. “The bombardments in Lebanon and Gaza have indiscriminately affected thousands of civilians, devastating homes, overwhelming hospitals, and reducing entire neighbourhoods to rubble,” Dr Jneid said.