Former prime minister Tony Abbott backs Israeli strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities

Former prime minister Tony Abbott has backed an Israeli strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities as he warned a “new axis of dictatorships” was threatening mankind.

In a statement on Monday marking the anniversary of Hamas’ October 7 attack on Israel, Mr Abbott said “We should continue to mourn the dead and pray for the safe return of the hostages”.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to respond to Iran’s missile attacks on his country as he continues battles in Gaza and Lebanon aimed at routing out Hamas and the Iranian-backed terror group Hezbollah.

US President Joe Biden said last week he did not back an Israeli strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities, and also said they should look at alternatives to hitting oil fields, which would push up the price of fuel around the world.

But Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump ridiculed this, saying Mr Biden’s response should have been, “hit the nuclear first and worry about the rest later.”

Mr Abbott said no one seriously thought Iran’s nuclear facilities were not the precursors to nuclear weapons.

“Israel has every right to deny the means of a new Holocaust to a country bent on bringing it about and the world would be much better off if the Iranian nuclear program were terminated,” he said in a statement.

“Right now, the well-being of mankind is being threatened by a new axis of dictatorships united only by their hatred of the West.

“Along with Ukraine and Taiwan, Israel is in the front line of freedom and deserves the backing of all free countries and their citizens.”

Mr Abbott added: “Since October 7, while Western leaders have conceded Israel’s right to self-defence, they’ve almost always urged that it not be exercised. There’ve been constant demands for ‘ceasefires’ and for ‘de-escalation’ which could only benefit terrorist groups.”

“Right now, the well-being of mankind is threatened by a new axis of dictatorships united only by their hatred of the West. Along with Ukraine and Taiwan, Israel is in the front line of freedom and deserves the backing of all free countries and their citizens,” he said.

Mr Abbott later appeared at a rally outside Parliament House in support of Israel, organised by a Christian group led by Reverend Mark Leach and his daughter Freya.

Asked whether he thought Mr Biden was wrong to tell Israel not to strike nuclear targets, the former prime minister said he wasn’t in the business of commenting on other people’s views.

“But if our country was under existential threat, the Australian government would be entitled to do everything that was necessary to keep us safe. That’s certainly right for Israel,” he told The West.

“There’s no doubt that Iran is up to no good. There’s no doubt that there is only one reason why Iran is developing its nuclear facilities and that is to have the potential for a new Holocaust.”

Mr Abbott said Israel’s refusal to compromise with the terrorist groups meant it was fighting on behalf of the entire West “because ‘death to the infidels’ Islamism is potentially coming for all of us”.