Australia: A longstanding friend of Israel

[oberliner]

The Australian foreign minister, Bob Carr, who will be visiting Israel this week, has a longstanding warm relationship with the Jewish community.

Carr boasts a distinguished political career, having served uninterruptedly for a record 10 years as premier of Australia’s most populous state, New South Wales, retiring in 2005. He was recently appointed foreign minister by Prime Minister Julia Gillard in March 2012.

Carr’s links with the Australian Jewish community date back many years. He was one of the founding members of Labor Friends of Israel and was also renowned for his support for the campaign for Soviet Jewry.

He is an admirer of left-wing Israeli writer Amos Oz and has on occasion been critical of various Israeli government policies, its settlement program in particular.

http://www.jpost.com/Opinion/Columnists/Article.aspx?id=279731

[King_David]

1. Interesting nt