Of course Australia’s government should decide foreign policy in accord with our enduring national interests, and not to spare the feelings of overseas nations — or to curry favour. Even so, it’s hardly surprising that the possible move of our Israel embassy to Jerusalem has angered Muslim-majority neighbours in Indonesia and Malaysia. Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad even suggested that such a decision in Canberra could feed the motive for terror. Islamic extremism doesn’t seem lacking in the motive department, and it is tasteless of Dr Mahathir to make such a remark when the latest victim of jihadist atrocity — Melbourne restaurateur Sisto Malaspina — has yet to be given a funeral.
Wonderful as Dr Mahathir’s return to power in Malaysia has been, he seems not to have outgrown his past anti-Semitic bigotry and his tendency to troll Australian public opinion. We have our own mischief-makers, such as former foreign minister Bob Carr who tweeted “The Israel lobby must be flushed with success!” and condemned the embassy proposal. This is rich coming from a leading member of the China lobby whose duty it once was to serve Australia’s interests overseas.
Read the editorial in The Australian.