It is hard to believe that anyone can take anything that Foreign Affairs Minister Alexander Downer says seriously. Yesterday, courting voters in the seat of Wentworth, Downer was totally of the rails - some would say misguided - in seeking support in the upcoming election of the Jewish vote in Malcolm Turnbull's seat.
As The Australian reports:
"Australia could send troops to the Middle East as part of an international buffer force to facilitate an Israeli withdrawal from the West Bank and prevent a takeover by terrorist-linked organisations, Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said last night.
In a speech to Jewish leaders in Sydney, Mr Downer expressed doubts that Palestinians as a whole would support a peace settlement between Israel and West Bank leaders.
He said the concern was that the Hamas organisation would, because of its backing by Iran, never truly accept Israel's right to exist.
"If the Israeli defence forces withdrew from the West Bank, Hamas will just take over," Mr Downer said.
"In the end, there has to be some international force to prop up a Palestinian State.
"If the international community was looking for troops tosupport a peace agreement which provided for the security of Israel and a Palestinian state, we would be prepared to send some troops to help," he said.
Mr Downer also attacked the UN, and more particularly the non-aligned bloc of countries that makes up a large part of its membership, for taking an irrational anti-Jewish and anti-Zionist line.
Mr Downer gave his speech to a gathering of the top echelon of Sydney's Jewish community, including 20 rabbis. He was invited by Environment Minister Malcolm Turnbull, who is trying to woo the large Jewish community in his marginal seat of Wentworth in Sydney's Eastern Suburbs."
Just think about it! Here is a Foreign Minister who doesn't even mention the rights of the Palestinian people, the breaches by Israel of numerous UN resolutions or even the now 40 year occupation. Utterly appalling - all in the name of garnering votes for an unworthy candidate, Turnbull, who seeks be more Jewish or pro-Israel than his Jewish Labour Party opponent.
Doubtlessly, those who heard Downer speak came away with a warm glow. One might rightly say that they are ostriches who sooner rather than later will need to confront some unwelcome realities in the ongoing Israel-Palestinian conflict.
As The Australian reports:
"Australia could send troops to the Middle East as part of an international buffer force to facilitate an Israeli withdrawal from the West Bank and prevent a takeover by terrorist-linked organisations, Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said last night.
In a speech to Jewish leaders in Sydney, Mr Downer expressed doubts that Palestinians as a whole would support a peace settlement between Israel and West Bank leaders.
He said the concern was that the Hamas organisation would, because of its backing by Iran, never truly accept Israel's right to exist.
"If the Israeli defence forces withdrew from the West Bank, Hamas will just take over," Mr Downer said.
"In the end, there has to be some international force to prop up a Palestinian State.
"If the international community was looking for troops tosupport a peace agreement which provided for the security of Israel and a Palestinian state, we would be prepared to send some troops to help," he said.
Mr Downer also attacked the UN, and more particularly the non-aligned bloc of countries that makes up a large part of its membership, for taking an irrational anti-Jewish and anti-Zionist line.
Mr Downer gave his speech to a gathering of the top echelon of Sydney's Jewish community, including 20 rabbis. He was invited by Environment Minister Malcolm Turnbull, who is trying to woo the large Jewish community in his marginal seat of Wentworth in Sydney's Eastern Suburbs."
Just think about it! Here is a Foreign Minister who doesn't even mention the rights of the Palestinian people, the breaches by Israel of numerous UN resolutions or even the now 40 year occupation. Utterly appalling - all in the name of garnering votes for an unworthy candidate, Turnbull, who seeks be more Jewish or pro-Israel than his Jewish Labour Party opponent.
Doubtlessly, those who heard Downer speak came away with a warm glow. One might rightly say that they are ostriches who sooner rather than later will need to confront some unwelcome realities in the ongoing Israel-Palestinian conflict.
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