Peter Costello, who might have been prime minister if he wasn't (he claims) short-changed by John Howard, commented in Israel that his support for that country was motivated in part "by the anti-Israel rhetoric of those on the left of politics".
The irony is he was standing next to the acting prime minister of Australia at the time of the Gaza incursion, Julia Gillard, who IS to the Left of him. Yet...
In front of an elite audience of Israeli politicians, academics and cultural figures at a dinner at the landmark King David Hotel, senior Israeli minister Isaac Herzog paid a warm tribute to Ms Gillard for her support for Israel during the Gaza conflict in January.
"You stood almost alone on the world stage in support of Israel's right to defend itself," enthused Mr Herzog, an act of courage he said would never be forgotten by the people of Israel.
Ms Gillard was Acting Prime Minister when Israel launched a three-week offensive against Hamas that resulted in the deaths of more than 1300 Palestinians and 13 Israelis.
At the time, Ms Gillard condemned Hamas for shelling southern Israel, but pointedly refused to criticise Israel's response, although she did urge it to be "very mindful" of civilian casualties.
Mr Herzog, a personal friend of Prime Minister Kevin Rudd (also to the Left of Costello) and chairman of the Israel-Australia parliamentary association, also thanked federal parliamentarians for passing a motion last year in support of Israel's 60th anniversary.
(source: The Age Newspaper 24th June 2009, reported by Jason Koutsoukis in Jerusalem)
So where is the actual basis for Costello's comment? In myth and stereotype. In demonisation of anyone to the left of politics.
And yes some Israeli actions in the Gaza incident remain questionable, even if Gillard didn't say it.
The irony is he was standing next to the acting prime minister of Australia at the time of the Gaza incursion, Julia Gillard, who IS to the Left of him. Yet...
In front of an elite audience of Israeli politicians, academics and cultural figures at a dinner at the landmark King David Hotel, senior Israeli minister Isaac Herzog paid a warm tribute to Ms Gillard for her support for Israel during the Gaza conflict in January.
"You stood almost alone on the world stage in support of Israel's right to defend itself," enthused Mr Herzog, an act of courage he said would never be forgotten by the people of Israel.
Ms Gillard was Acting Prime Minister when Israel launched a three-week offensive against Hamas that resulted in the deaths of more than 1300 Palestinians and 13 Israelis.
At the time, Ms Gillard condemned Hamas for shelling southern Israel, but pointedly refused to criticise Israel's response, although she did urge it to be "very mindful" of civilian casualties.
Mr Herzog, a personal friend of Prime Minister Kevin Rudd (also to the Left of Costello) and chairman of the Israel-Australia parliamentary association, also thanked federal parliamentarians for passing a motion last year in support of Israel's 60th anniversary.
(source: The Age Newspaper 24th June 2009, reported by Jason Koutsoukis in Jerusalem)
So where is the actual basis for Costello's comment? In myth and stereotype. In demonisation of anyone to the left of politics.
And yes some Israeli actions in the Gaza incident remain questionable, even if Gillard didn't say it.
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