LETTER TO THE PRIME MINISTER

Gentlemen,

         It is no secret that I have written several letters regarding the very real problems concerning Israel and the terrorist group ‘HAMAS’, and the embarrassing lack of real action by our Australian Government.  The very first letter I wrote on this matter was in mid October 2023, seeking the type of action our nation intended to take to support our ally.

         Sadly, in the many months since, we as a nation, have done very little to support our important ally.  The very fact that Australia regards Israel as an ally is a very important bi-partisan fact.  One of the strongest supporters of Israel in the last 50 years has been the courageous Mr Bob Hawke.

         However, since the recent 80^th anniversary of the Holocaust, held at the infamous Auschwitz camp, the rise of antisemitism in our country has risen to an unacceptable level.  So, what can be done?  Before I describe ‘what should have been done?’ I must emphasise right now that any future statements and/or action MUST have a bi-partisan backing.  From now on, irrespective of party politics, or irrespective of any prospective election coming in the wings, ALL actions, ALL statements MUST have a bi-partisan backing.  I look forward to our Prime Minister commanding an urgent meeting with his inner cabinet and creating a plan to defeat the antisemitism in this country.  Once their plan is created, I would hope that our Prime Minister would then make a public statement and actually give the necessary COMMAND for the removal of antisemitism.  Yes, it will take incredible bravery for any national leader to actually head off the rise of this nasty antisemitism.

         Now, I wish to describe the actions which our national Parliament SHOULD have taken on Monday 9^th October 2023.  That Monday was the first sitting day of parliament following the terrorist attack by the Hamas group on Israel soil.  If I remember correctly, the Prime Minister gave one very short comment on the fact that this event actually happened.  Such inaction by a strong ally of Israel is grossly unforgiveable!

         So, what should have happened?  When the Prime Minister announced in parliament a short description of the event and then sat down, the Leader of the Opposition should have been on his feet in 5 milliseconds and asked the entire Parliament to debate the steps and action our nation should take in defence of our ally, Israel.  He also should have stated his bipartisan support of any Government action recommended to defend Israel against its enemies.  Sadly, this did not happen.  Yes, if Australia and other allies of Israel had have acted in support of Israel in the first week or two following the terrorist attack, it is highly likely that this ‘war’ we now have would have lasted less than a month.

         However, now that we have gone over 15 months since the terrorist attack, such thoughts on “What should have been done” are now useless.  We, as a nation, need to focus on what actions we can take, in liaison with any other ally of Israel, to help in the defeat of the terrorist group, Hamas.  As we were once a strong ally of Israel, they must look on Australia with a very disappointed look.  Yes, they have been let down.

         Now is not the time to make comforting comments to our people saying how disappointed our leaders are with the current state of affairs.  Now is the time to coordinate an action plan, with bipartisan support, for our nation to pull together and defeat this enemy.  We as a nation, have done this before, albeit a generation ago, but when we pull together, we can do it.

         Therefore, stop making nice comments to the press, get together and start making plans.  Our nation needs action and that has to be a bipartisan action.  So, put all your petty party politics behind you and start defending your nation.

 Yours Sincerely

 John Clarkson.

 (Sergeant – RAAF – Retired).

  (Veteran of Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam Campaigns).