AARON PATRICK: Anthony Albanese and Penny Wong sanctioned the wrong State
Even Jewish-Australian advocates on the right or centre-right regard Israeli politicians Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich as terrible people. But Australia’s decision to place sanctions on these ministers looks like the morally misguided action of a Government confused by a war even it admits is legally legitimate.
Mr Ben-Gvir, the national security minister, and Mr Smotrich, the finance minister, are now banned from entering Australia, Britain, Canada, New Zealand and Norway. Any assets they own in Australia will be frozen.
The pair’s opposition to providing humanitarian aid to the defeated and mostly destitute residents of the Gaza Strip and their incitement of violence against Palestinians is an embarrassment to many Jews around the world, who know it is used by their many enemies to demonise Israel.
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By continuing you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy.Israel has made many mistakes, but these men represent their nation as much as Senator Pauline Hanson’s call for ban on Muslim migrants reflects Australian values.
“Their rhetoric is morally indefensible and betrays Israel’s founding values,” Zionist Federation of Australia president Jeremy Leibler told The Nightly.
“They’re awful,” Australia Israel & Jewish Affairs Council director Colin Rubenstein said. “They’re on the extreme right.”
Rogue State?
By sanctioning the two men, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Foreign Minister Penny Wong have bowed to the organisation that seems to operate as a front in Australia for Hamas, the Australia Palestine Advocacy Network, based on its rhetorical attacks on Israel, one-sided portrayals of the war and almost daily claims Israel’s defensive war is an act of genocide.
Israel is now, in Australia’s eyes, operating as a rogue state. It is treating the Israel government as worse than the Chinese Communist Party and other regimes with no respect for human rights or the rule of law. In Iran, gays are executed by hanging. In Afghanistan, women are stoned to death for adultery. Slavery is common in North Korea.
Yet Mr Albanese and Ms Wong single out the Jewish state, a democracy with a thriving free media, independent judiciary and protections for minority groups unimaginable across most of the Middle East?
The sanctions will make Australian anti-Israel activists feel vindicated and may trigger more violence against Jews. They make Australia more invested in a war it cannot resolve; a war that has created a powerful sense of grievance among Australia’s large Muslim population and palpable fear among its much smaller Jewish one.
Aaron Patrick was sanctioned by the Russian government in 2022 for criticising its invasion of Ukraine.
