To be able to come here at the invitation of your Speaker and of your Prime Minister Olmert – and to applaud you and the citizens of Israel for the courage you have shown in the face of adversity, resolution in the face of conflict, resilience in the face of challenge – is, for me,…
By leave—I move: That the House: (1) celebrate and commend the achievements of the State of Israel in the 60 years since its inception; (2) remember with pride and honour the important role which Australia played in the establishment of the State of Israel as both a member state of the United Nations and as…
ACTU President, Sharan Burrow, today condemns the suicide bombing in Rishon Le Zion, near Tel Aviv, which killed 15 people. ‘This appalling murder of innocent people will inevitably exacerbate the hatred and violence which is poisoning the lives of Palestinians and Israelis’, said Ms. Burrow. Ms. Burrow repeated last month’s call by the ACTU’s International…
The PRESIDENT —In closing the debate, I would like to add just a few words of my own. It is always a disadvantage to speak last because most things have already been said. Of course, I support all of those things that have been said. I visited Israel in April this year as a guest…
Like all other members of the Senate, I wish to endorse the remarks of all senators in support of this motion. Last week I had the opportunity in my office late on Tuesday evening to watch live the funeral ceremony from Israel. No-one who watched that could have been other than completely moved by the…
I fully endorse the remarks that Senator Baume and other senators have just made. Those of us who are associated with the Jewish community in some minor way feel the enormous loss that is, of course, associated with this vile act. I, along with a number of my colleagues from both sides of this chamber…
Senator GARETH EVANS (Leader of the Government in the Senate) — I move: That the Senate — (1)expresses its deep regret at the death, on 4 November 1995, of Mr Yitzhak Rabin, Prime Minister of Israel, (2)condemns the brutal act which took his life, (3)tenders its profound sympathy to his widow, Mrs Leah Rabin, the…
Sam Cohen was a fine Parliamentarian, lawyer, socialist, member of the Jewish community, husband and father, and all round gentleman. He was eloquent and persuasive in debate, and possessed among his many attributes that rare skill – especially rare, we Labor right-wingers would say, in a man of the left! – as a builder of…
It is a very great pleasure to be here this evening to mark the 25th anniversary of the Australia Israel Chamber of Commerce. The Chamber’s achievements over that quarter century are substantial and Its potential is even greater. So, there are many reasons to celebrate tonight and! I will come to them shortly. But I…
I am always grateful to be invited to speak to the biennial meeting of the Zionist Federation of Australia. This is the third time I have had the opportunity to address you. As a record, it doesn’t go near matching Mark Leibler’s, but it is enough to make me feel at home here. It is…