‘She insulted them’: Dave Sharma blasts Penny Wong over Israel response

Foreign Minister Penny Wong took four months and “had to be dragged kicking and screaming” to go and visit Israel following the October 7 terrorist attacks, claims Liberal Senator Dave Sharma. “And then she insulted them by refusing to go to the site of the massacres in the south,” Mr Sharma told Sky News host Danica De Giorgio. Mr Sharma blasted the Albanese Labor government over their weak response to the war in the Middle East.

WHO IS DAVE SHARMA?

Dave Sharma joined the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), serving in various capacities, including postings in Papua New Guinea and Washington, D.C. In 2013, at the age of 37, he was appointed as Australia’s Ambassador to Israel, becoming one of the country’s youngest ambassadors. He held this position until 2017, strengthening bilateral relations between Australia and Israel.

In November 2023, Sharma was appointed to the Senate by the Parliament of New South Wales, filling the vacancy left by Marise Payne’s resignation. He currently serves on several Senate Standing Committees, including those on Environment and Communications, Finance and Public Administration, and the Joint Standing Committee on the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS).

Throughout his career, Sharma has been recognized for his contributions to Australian diplomacy and politics, particularly in enhancing international relations and advocating for moderate policies within his party.