Opposition Calls for Anthony Albanese to Visit Israel on His Return From US

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese (L) and U.S. President Joe Biden attend the Quad Fellowship Founding Celebration event in Tokyo, Japan, on May 24, 2022. Yuichi Yamazaki/Getty Images

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese should change plans and visit Israel on his return from the United States, an opposition frontbencher said on Oct. 24.

Mr. Albanese is currently in Washington D.C. to meet with U.S. President Joe Biden, where he is expected to discuss the situation in Israel and Gaza and focus on building the alliance between the United States and Australia.

However, Senate Opposition Leader Simon Birmingham told Sky News Australia that a visit to Israel during his return trip from America would send a powerful signal of support, solidarity, and desire for humanitarian assistance.

“It would be a very welcome show of support and solidarity by Australia for the prime minister to, on his way back from the United States, change plans and go via Israel,” he said.

It comes after the Israeli government formally declared war against the terrorist group Hamas—which controls the Gaza Strip—following a deadly coordinated strike against Israeli civilians on Oct. 7 that resulted in 1,400 deaths, according to Israeli forces.

Since then, over 5,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli strikes, including 2,055 children, according to the Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza.

Hamas released two hostages in Gaza on “humanitarian and poor health grounds;” Israeli women Nurit Yitzhak (known as Nurit Cooper), 79, and Yocheved Lifschitz, 85.

The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) believe Hamas holds 222 more hostages in Gaza.

Meanwhile, the Australian government is providing an initial $10 million (US$6.32 million) in humanitarian assistance to fund urgent needs like medical support, emergency, water, nutrition, sanitation, and hygiene services.

United Nations Aid Chief Martin Griffiths said civilians “need more, much more,” as they barely have anything to eat or drink.

PM Should Have Gone to US via Tel Aviv: Dutton

Previously, Opposition Leader Peter Dutton urged Mr. Albanese to fly to Washington via Tel Aviv during the final moments of Parliament.

“I think it would be in our country’s best interest ... to support the Israeli leadership,” Mr. Dutton said on Oct. 19.

He said it was essential to “stand with Israel at this time as other world leaders have done.”

“That should be the priority of any international travel at the moment, so that we can seek to be part of an alliance to keep the pressure down on those seeking a wider conflict in the region,” he said.

“And it would be appropriate, prime minister—and we [the opposition] would fully support that initiative.”

Mr. Albanese left the chamber without acknowledging Mr. Dutton’s request.

Further, he received criticism from Mr. Dutton because he hadn’t spoken to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

“He’s [Anthony Albanese] put a request in, it seems to Mr. Netanyahu, and it’s telling that Mr. Netanyahu hasn’t taken that call,” Mr Dutton told 2GB radio on Oct. 19.

“Whereas he’s very happy to speak to other world leaders, so I think there’s a bit to read into that.”

However, Cabinet Minister Bill Shorten said, “I think it’s a bit of a red herring debate what the opposition just tried to fling it at the end of question time.”

“Maybe the opposition needs to step up a bit and stop trying to look at every issue through the lens of pinging Anthony Albanese,” he told 2GB radio.

Further, he said a trip to Israel would make less sense for an Australian leader.

“I don’t believe he has to visit. I think we’re demonstrating our solidarity with Israel,” he said.

“I think the opposition is letting the country down here now.”

‘No Plans to Visit the Middle East,’ PM Says

Mr. Albanese responded on Oct. 20, saying, “At this point, I have no plans to visit the Middle East.”

“And in terms of the security agencies, there’s no disagreement from the position I’ve taken,” he said.

He noted that a “considerable security effort” accompanied Mr. Biden’s visit to Israel which was “not a secure area.”

“Our priority has been to engage, and I’ve engaged,” Mr. Albanese said, adding he spoke to the Israeli Ambassador to Australia several times.

“I had him to my residence and had a discussion. I’ve had talks with leaders of the Palestinian community, leaders of the Jewish community here in Australia, as well,” he said.

“And my views are consistent with the Parliament’s resolution. We remain horrified by the Hamas attacks on Israel.”

“As hostilities continue, it’s vitally essential that international humanitarian law is upheld to protect civilians wherever they live. We are playing our part in providing humanitarian relief. That is very important.”

Meanwhile, when Labor Party President Wayne Swan was asked about Mr. Albanese ruling out visiting Israel on his way to the United States, he said, “I think that is the right call.”

“He has a very important visit to the US. I don’t think Israel wants to see an avalanche of people wandering through as they go through this difficult time,” Mr. Swan told The Today Show.

“President Biden has been more involved in the Middle East than anybody else. So I would have thought if people were ... talking about the need to continue his involvement, he could do that with President Biden when he is in the United States,” he said.

“The most important thing here is to be calm in adversity.”