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.
Read the article by Richard Ferguson in The Australian.