"The heavy reliance on subsidised visits to Israel has taken its toll in terms of Australia's wider interests. Most MPs and ministers who visited until recently followed programs that gave a heavily sanitised view of the Israel/Palestine situation," Mr Burns said.
"Missing, for example, was any exposure to the heavy burden that Israel's occupation of most of the lands of Palestine has imposed on both societies. Australia's embassy in Tel Aviv could often be sidelined in the natural desire of the hosts, and accompanying 'minders', to present a few 'facts on the ground' including meetings or visits that might be construed as accepting Israel's sovereignty in contested territory.
"The number of trips to Israel also greatly outnumbered visits to Arab countries, even those that have provided significant elements of the Australian community such as Lebanon and Egypt."
He said it was difficult to get ministers to visit Arab countries apart from "quick touchdowns" for an international gathering, and Australia's interests were perceived by ministers "solely through the optic of our relations with Israel".
Who says so? None other than a former Australian ambassador to Israel and then other Middle Eastern countries, Ross Burns, in a piece in the SMH.
The shady and undisclosed payment of trips for politicians and members of the media to visit Israel needs to be fully transparent. No longer must the Israel Lobby be able to manipulate the media and politicians by its underhanded actions.
Even though SMH journalists have been recipients of the paid-for trips, the paper today reports on the practice and Burns' correct criticism of it.
"Missing, for example, was any exposure to the heavy burden that Israel's occupation of most of the lands of Palestine has imposed on both societies. Australia's embassy in Tel Aviv could often be sidelined in the natural desire of the hosts, and accompanying 'minders', to present a few 'facts on the ground' including meetings or visits that might be construed as accepting Israel's sovereignty in contested territory.
"The number of trips to Israel also greatly outnumbered visits to Arab countries, even those that have provided significant elements of the Australian community such as Lebanon and Egypt."
He said it was difficult to get ministers to visit Arab countries apart from "quick touchdowns" for an international gathering, and Australia's interests were perceived by ministers "solely through the optic of our relations with Israel".
Who says so? None other than a former Australian ambassador to Israel and then other Middle Eastern countries, Ross Burns, in a piece in the SMH.
The shady and undisclosed payment of trips for politicians and members of the media to visit Israel needs to be fully transparent. No longer must the Israel Lobby be able to manipulate the media and politicians by its underhanded actions.
Even though SMH journalists have been recipients of the paid-for trips, the paper today reports on the practice and Burns' correct criticism of it.
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