NSW lawmakers unite for Israel
PREMIER Barry O’Farrell was on hand, as was Israeli ambassador to Australia Yuval Rotem as the NSW Parliamentary Israeli Friendship Group was officially relaunched at Parliament House on Tuesday night.
PREMIER Barry O’Farrell was on hand, as was Israeli ambassador to Australia Yuval Rotem as the NSW Parliamentary Israeli Friendship Group was officially relaunched at Parliament House on Tuesday night.
The reactivated group is chaired by Liberal Vaucluse MP Gabrielle Upton, with Labor Upper House MP and former AJN journalist Walt Secord as deputy.
It boasts representatives from five political parties.
Welcoming its re-formation, Rotem thanked all the parliamentarians who had opposed Marrickville Council’s attempt to adopt the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) campaign last year, as well as those who had spoken against the recent BDS Max Brenner protests.
Globally, he spoke of the recent attacks on Israeli embassies, the threat of Iran’s nuclear program, its proxies Hamas and Hezbollah, unrest in Syria, instability in Egypt, and the Palestinian Authority’s statehood bid.
“In this period of uncertainty and instability in the Middle East, Israel can know with confidence that a parliament … on the other side of the world, with no proximity or urgency to act, is standing firm behind us,” he said.
O’Farrell said he was pleased to be standing side by side with Opposition Leader John Robertson to express continued bipartisan support for Israel.
“We in this country don’t have on our borders, whether south of NSW or north of NSW, or on the borders of this island continent, nations who are committed to our destruction,” he said.
“So we do support the concept of peace for Israel, we do support a longstanding settlement of the issues there, and we will continue to do so.”
Robertson echoed the sentiments of his political opponent.
“This is a parliament that has had a long and proud history of association with Israel and the Jewish community,” he said.
“I’m very proud to stand here and offer my bipartisan support with the Premier.”
Upton praised Israel’s innovation, diversity, historical and religious significance, and democratic values.
“We have a long and strong friendship with Israel based on shared beliefs, the rule of law, individual liberty and of course equal rights for citizens,” she said.
Secord spoke of his recent trip to the Middle East and Europe, where he visited Auschwitz in Poland and Yad Vashem and Sderot in Israel, among other places.
“A colleague asked me upon return if the visit to the Middle East had changed my views on Israel. I said it had – it had made me an even stronger supporter,” he said.
“I am therefore humbled and honoured to stand here as the deputy chair.”
GARETH NARUNSKY
Barry O’Farrell (pictured)
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