Sussan Ley reframes herself as supporter of Israel

Sussan Ley has lashed Anthony Albanese’s response to the Middle East conflict as a major threat to ‘social cohesion’ and asserted her support for Israel, as she sought to reframe herself as a champion of Jewish Australians.

Rhiannon Down

The new Liberal Party leader, Sussan Ley. Picture: AFP

3 min read

8:05PMMay 13, 2025

Sussan Ley has lashed Anthony Albanese’s response to the Middle East conflict as a major threat to “social cohesion” and asserted her support for Israel, as she sought to distance herself from her past pro-Palestinian views.

In her first public address as Opposition Leader, Ms Ley said while she was still a “steadfast friend” of Palestinians, and criticised their leaders for “letting them down”, she had changed her views on the conflict.

Ms Ley, a former co-chair of the Parliamentary Friends of Palestine group, said she now saw the issues through a “different prism” after a trip to Israel, a move that has been praised by Jewish leaders.

Ms Ley said in 2008 that Palestinians are “airbrushed out of existence”, but on Tuesday declared it was one of the “great privileges” of age that she could re-examine her views after the issue had been “thoroughly ventilated” with her colleagues.

Who is Sussan Ley? The former punk pilot turned Leader of the Opposition

“Following my appointment as deputy, I took a trip at the invitation of Julian Leeser, an outstanding colleague and dear friend, to Israel,” Ms Ley said.

“I spent a lot of time seeing what was happening on the ground.

“The impact of that trip and the changed geopolitical circumstances of the Abraham Accords, with Israel reaching out for peace to Saudi and Morocco, and then, of course, the hideous events of October 7 in Gaza, have changed my thinking on the entire subject.”

The new Liberal leader took aim at the Prime Minister and Penny Wong for their response to the Israel-Hamas war and domestic anti-Semitism, vowing to “hold Labor to account” over the issues.

In her closing remarks, Ms Ley called out Mr Albanese for allowing a sense of “isolation, fear, and real concern” for Jewish Australians to pervade.

“One of the biggest threats to social cohesion in this country is the Prime Minister’s approach to Jewish Australians and everything that happens overseas,” she said.

“I’ve reflected on that, with the hideous events in Gaza, has domestic implications.

“We have a Foreign Minister, Penny Wong, who has let down Australia in the UN and we have a Prime Minister who is intent, it seems, on letting down Jewish Australians on the streets of our cities.”

Liberals need to ‘properly annunciate’ their nuclear plan

Australia/Israel & Jewish Affairs Council executive director Colin Rubenstein said Ms Ley had become a “staunch friend” to the Jewish community in recent years.

“She participated in a study visit to Israel as part of AIJAC’s Rambam Israel Fellowship Program in 2022 and has been principled and informed in speaking out in support of Israel, especially during the current war with Hamas,” Dr Rubenstein said.

“She has consistently and constructively engaged with our community and listened to our concerns, and we look forward to working with her in her new role.”

Ms Ley did not name Hamas directly, but criticised the Palestinian leadership for not being “interested in peace with Israel”.

“It is not a party interested in a secure Israel behind secure borders, and it is not a party interested in a just and lasting peace,” she said.

Executive Council of Australian Jewry co-chief executive Peter Wertheim commended Ms Ley for re-examining her views.

“She is right when she says Israel currently has no partner for peace in Gaza,” he said.

“In the face of these realities Sussan Ley has rejected the reflexively antagonistic attitudes of Israel’s perennial critics. For this she deserves our respect.”

Zionist Federation of Australia president Jeremy Leibler said the Jewish community had a “strong and constructive” relationship with the Coalition.

“We look forward to continuing that under the new leadership of the Liberal Party, and working closely to ensure the Australia-Israel connection remains strong,” he said.