Opposition Leader Peter Dutton says he wants Australia to rebuild its relationship with Israel following a meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Dutton became the first Australian major party leader to meet with Netanyahu in Israel since the Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas attack on Israeli civilians.
During an hour-long meeting with Netanyahu and his security team, Dutton discussed security threats, the terrorist organisations Hamas and Hezbollah, and the release of hostages.
The Liberal-National Coalition leader told Sky News later he was grateful for the access and time with the Israeli prime minister.
“We discussed a broad range of issues—obviously in relation to the current security context, what’s happening with the Houthis, what’s happening with Hamas and Hezbollah, the threats here to Israel otherwise, and obviously a broad-ranging discussion on areas of mutual interest otherwise.”
Dutton also discussed the broader threat of Middle East tensions to the West and suggested Australia needs to examine its position on global matters.
“I think in the West, we need to realise that our civilisation as we know it, our democracy, our rule of law, our adherence to international law—all of that is under threat. It is a time for Australia to reassess where we are in the world and make sure that we align ourselves more significantly with our partners,” he said.
He highlighted that relationships with the United States, the United Kingdom, and India are all vital, but “so too is the relationship with Israel.”
Dutton also visited the site of the Nova Music Festival in Israel, one target of Hamas militants during the Oct. 7 attack.
He noted that 115 people were still in captivity, and that authorities do not know “how many are alive, how many are dead” and what “brutality they’ve experienced at the hands of those terrorists.”
Albanese Hopes Dutton Remains Safe, Pushes for De-Escalation
Responding to Mr. Dutton’s trip to Israel, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said it was a matter for the opposition leader.Following his recent statement with the Canadian and New Zealand prime ministers, Mr. Albanese again raised concerns about an escalation of tensions in the Middle East.
“We want to see a de-escalation. We want to see a ceasefire. We want to see the hostages released, and we want to see a plan for peace and security in the Middle East, where both Israelis and Palestinians can live in peace and security with prosperity. That’s the objective that my government has,” he said.
Fears of escalation have again emerged after Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, was allegedly assassinated by Israel during a missile strike in Tehran.
Liberal Senator Dave Sharma said Israel, whilst they haven’t taken responsibility for this attack, made clear that all those responsible for Oct. 7 were legitimate military targets.
