Former prime minister Scott Morrison has backed Israel’s opposition to a ceasefire in the Gaza conflict during a visit to the Jewish state, insisting it would only help Hamas.
He is visiting Israel with former British prime minister Boris Johnson on a solidarity tour after the October 7 attacks by Hamas.
After arriving yesterday, Morrison and Johnson visited parts of southern Israel where Hamas fighters killed more than 1400 Israeli citizens and seized about 200 hostages.
They were given a tour of the Israeli kibbutz Kfar Aza where 57 people were killed and 17 were taken hostage.
The former leaders said they backed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s stance of not approving a ceasefire, despite calls by the United Nations.
“I don’t support a ceasefire,” Morrison said.
Netanyahu insists he would not allow a ceasefire or a pause in military operations until hostages held by Hamas are released.
But Palestinian leaders, backed by many Arab nations, want one to enable the evacuation of civilians from the war zone in Gaza and to bring in much-needed aid supplies.
Israeli officials welcomed the visit by Morrison and Johnson who were staunch supporters of the country during their terms in office.
Israel’s UN representative Danny Danon accompanied them on their tour and described them as “true friends of Israel”.
Last week, Morrison was one of six former Australian prime ministers to release a joint letter declaring there was “no more tenaciously evil race hatred than antisemitism”.
(9 news)
