Morrison praised for UN swipe over Israel

Australia’s Jewish leaders have praised Scott Morrison’s attack on the United Nations’ ‘anti-Semitic agenda’.

Scott Morrison makes a statement in relation to the 70th anniversary of Australia’s formal diplomatic relationship with Israel. Picture: Kym Smith

Australia’s Jewish leaders have praised Scott Morrison’s attack on the UN’s “anti-Semitic ­agenda” as the nation celebrates 70 years of diplomatic relations with Israel.

The Prime Minister accused the UN of “intellectual fraud” in parliament yesterday and said he would strongly oppose anti-Israel resolutions put before the UN.

Mr Morrison and Bill Shorten spoke of their parties’ support for Israel, as growing pro-Palestinian sentiment in Labor and controversy over the location of the Australian embassy has brought the nation’s relationship with Israel into the spotlight.

Mr Morrison also recommitted to recognising West Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and eventually moving Australia’s embassy there.

Attacking the UN, the Prime Minister said: “The UN General Assembly is now the place where Israel is bullied and where anti-Semitism is cloaked in language about human rights.

“Think about it: a nation of immigrants; with a free press; parliamentary democracy … is somehow the centre of cruelty in the world. It is intellectual fraud.”

The UN has been regularly ­accused of attacking Israel throughout its 70-year history. The General Assembly passed six anti-Israel resolutions in ­December, which Australia opposed, and the US has boycotted UN organisations in protest at Israel’s treatment.

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

Australia/Israel & Jewish Affairs Council chief executive Colin Rubenstein said the rest of the world should follow Mr Morrison’s lead. “Prime Minister Morrison was entirely correct in his reflections on the lopsided ‘bias and unfair targeting’ of Israel at the UN. Israel, a thriving ‘beacon of democracy in the Middle East’ with an independent judiciary, has been subject to overwhelmingly more criticism than any other country,” he said.

“It is heartening that Australia has recognised this reality … It is time the rest of the world did the same.”

Anti-Defamation Commission chairman Dvir Abramovich said Mr Morrison was “speaking truth to power” in attacking the UN. “The PM … should be saluted for naming and calling out the UN’s institutional anti-Israel bias, and for his iron-clad assurance Australia will always stand shoulder to shoulder with Israel against those hostile forces who wish to demonise and defame her,” he said.

Executive Council of Australian Jewry co-chief executive Alex Ryvchin said: “We commend the Prime Minister for vowing to stand with Israel at the UN, and for condemning the hypocrisy and double standards in its obsessive, disproportionate focus on criticising ­Israel.”

Zionist Association of Australia president Jeremy Liebler said Mr Morrison was bucking the trend of other Western leaders by calling out the UN’s anti-Israel bias. “Western countries who lay sole blame on Israel for the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, bear real responsibility for the continuation of Hamas’ terror activities,” he said.

Mr Shorten also received praise from Jewish leaders for ­reiterating his support for Israel.