Penny Wong, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar ‘clash’ on ‘heated’ call over Israel support failings

Israel’s foreign minister has blasted his Australian counterpart Penny Wong in a heated phone call, accusing her of turning her back on the Jewish state in its darkest hour, Israeli media reports, in a further deterioration of the bilateral relationship.

According to the Israel Hayom newspaper, Senator Wong spoke to Gideon Sa’ar on Tuesday in a conversation that turned into a “sharp verbal clash” over Australia’s waning support for Israel amid its war with Gaza.

The Hebrew newspaper, referring to Senator Wong as “among the most anti-Israel in her party”, said she had told Mr Sa’ar Israel had not done enough humanitarian work for “the Arabs in Gaza”.

Mr Sa’ar responded by saying Israel was the true victim, who had been attacked “not only by Hamas by five other countries” on October 7.

He went on to express Israel’s disappointment that Australia had downgraded its support for Israel in international forums “in its most difficult year, when it has fought against its bitterest enemies”.

Australia has voted with the majority of United Nations members but against Israel in a series of votes in recent weeks, including by voting in favour of a resolution calling for Israel to withdraw from the West Bank and Gaza as soon as possible in a move that broke 20 years of tradition.

Mr Sa’ar also reportedly rebuked Senator Wong over a speech she gave last week, in which she said Australia expected Israel to comply with international law just as it expected the same from China and Russia.

“Israel is a Western democracy that maintains the rule of law, has an independent judiciary and adheres to international law. In the past year, Israel has fought the radical axis led by Iran, which is supported by Russia and China,” Mr Sa’ar reportedly said.

Senator Wong last week defended her speech, saying she had not been drawing a moral equivalence between Israel, China and Russia, arguing her point had instead been about Australia’s interest in ensuring all nations upheld and complied with international law.

He also reportedly demanded “decisive action” by the Federal Government in the wake of the terrorist firebombing of Melbourne’s Adass Israel Synagogue - a week after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused the Federal Government of taking an “extreme anti-Israel position” which had fuelled anti-Semitism in Australia.

The Albanese Government has rejected the assertion - endorsed by the Coalition - that Labor was to blame for the arson attack. The Government has also established Operation Avalite to deal with the rising scourge of anti-Semitism, and has appointed a special envoy.

The Israeli report went on to claim Mr Sa’ar had also chastised Labor over its denial of a visa for former Israeli Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked.

“How would you react if we acted like this towards a former minister from Australia,” he reportedly told Senator Wong.

Senator Wong’s office was contacted for comment.