SYDNEY, Australia - Former Australian Deputy Prime Minister John Anderson has sharply criticized the Australian Labor government's position on Israel, accusing it of undermining the nation's historic support for the Jewish state. In an interview this week on Sky News Australia, a News Corp-owned network with a reputation for its pro-Israel stance, Anderson reiterated controversial claims regarding the horrific events of the October 7, 2023 attacks, including false reports that babies were beheaded and burned alive.

Anderson expressed strong disapproval of the Australian government's approach to Israel, calling it a vibrant democracy currently under enormous challenge in the Middle East. He invoked the words of former Australian Prime Minister Bob Hawke, who once observed, "When the bell tolls for Israel, it tolls for all mankind," underscoring his belief in Israel's pivotal role on the global stage.

The former deputy prime minister further emphasized that no country that has turned its back on Israel throughout history has ever prospered. He referenced the actions of Nazi Germany during World War II, accusing the German people of "genuine genocidal intent" toward the Jewish people.

The interview also included a segment where Anderson reacted to comments made by Immigration Minister Tony Burke. Burke had responded to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's remarks, which labeled Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese as weak. Netanyahu's comments were prompted by Albanese's statement where Australia signaled its openness to recognizing Palestine as a state, at the upcoming UN General Assembly in September.

In the Sky News interview, Burke condemned Netanyahu's remarks, suggesting that true strength was not measured by violence, but by promoting peace. "Strength is not measured by how many people you can blow up, or how many children you can leave hungry," Burke had said.

Following the clip, the Sky News host, Freya Leach, asked Anderson for his opinion, noting Burke "was way out of line," to which Anderson replied with a scathing critique: "Well, is strength marching in, raping, murdering, cutting heads off babies, throwing them into microwave ovens, dragging semi-naked dead German Jewish ladies around the street cheering Gazans? You know, is that strength? Is that character? Is that moral?"

Leach, the Sky News host agreed, stating, "Exactly," in response.

The debate over Australia's foreign policy regarding Israel and Palestine has become increasingly heated, with significant political figures taking opposing views. The Labor government's nuanced position on the Israel-Palestine conflict continues to draw both support and criticism from various quarters, as the international community watches closely.

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