Julie Bishop

Why Australia must stand united with Israel

After a week of anguish following the United Nations Security Council’s outrageous anti-Israel resolution — said to have been engineered by one of our closest allies, the US, and co-sponsored by our closest neighbour New Zealand — Malcolm Turnbull’s presence on the seventh night of Chanukah was comforting to say the least.

There he was with wife Lucy, lighting the menorah, dancing somewhat awkwardly with the rabbi (no disrespect, I’m just yet to see any politician look natural participating in cultural rituals) and — most importantly — delivering a speech strongly condemning the UN’s move, calling it “one-sided” and “deeply unsettling for our community”.

“Australia stands with Israel,” Turnbull said. “We support a two-state solution, just as the government of Israel does. It is not helped by one-sided resolutions made at the councils of the United Nations or anywhere else and that is why Australia has not, and does not, support one-sided resolutions. Above all, we stand shoulder to shoulder with Israel in the fight against terrorists.”

Read the full article by Caroline Marcus at The Daily Telegraph.