Bishop urged to tackle Iran over Israel

COMMUNAL leaders have joined Labor MP Michael Danby in urging Foreign Minister Julie Bishop to use her controversial visit to Iran this weekend to express Australia’s concern at the country’s continual calls for the destruction of Israel.

A spokesperson for Bishop, who is set to discuss the nuclear issue and other important bilateral and regional issues with Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif this Saturday, told The AJN that the Australian government had already “made clear its opposition to unacceptable comments about Israel by previous Iranian leaders”.

Last week Mohammad Reza Naqdi, commander of Iran’s Basij force, said “erasing Israel off the map” is “non-negotiable” and in March Zarif said “it [Israel] should be annihilated”.

Danby said, “When Ms Bishop is in Tehran, she should ask and evaluate the meaning of Iran’s persistent threats to eliminate the State of Israel.”

He added that persistent threats from Iran to destroy a sovereign state of eight million people “undermine belief in Western – including Australian – public opinion, that Iran’s nuclear program has a peaceful intent”.

The Executive Council of Australian Jewry (ECAJ) said in a statement that it is hopeful that Bishop will make it clear that Australia is appalled by Iran’s calls for Israel’s destruction and flagrantly racist rhetoric against Jews.

“Iran’s hosting of a second ‘competition’ of cartoons mocking the Holocaust places the Iranian regime beyond the pale of civilised society,” the ECAJ statement said.

Australia/Israel & Jewish Affairs Council executive director Colin Rubenstein said his organisation hopes that Bishop will “express her disapproval in the strongest terms possible of the Iranian leadership’s continued calls for the destruction of Israel, its promotion of terrorism and its fanatical propagation of anti-Semitism”.

“We therefore hope that our Foreign Minister will make clear the complete unacceptability of this attitude and will stress the importance of the Iranian leadership acknowledging Israel’s right to exist as part of any final agreement,” Rubenstein said.

“It is also imperative that the Iranian leaders hear from Ms Bishop that the West is willing and able to defend its values and interests, and that no nuclear weaponisation by Iran is acceptable under any circumstances.”

Rubenstein said that important US allies, including Australia, should use “whatever influence we have” to ensure that any ultimate deal is “effective in limiting Iran’s nuclear aspirations and doesn’t prematurely confer unwarranted legitimacy on an unreformed, aggressive, expansionist rival”.

EVAN ZLATKIS

Julie Bishop (pictured with Tony Abbott) is heading to Iran this weekend.