Tony Abbott: Mouthpiece, Patsy, Tool

Before his demise as leader of the opposition yesterday, Malcolm Turnbull had this to say of revolting Liberal climate change deniers: "I am not interested in becoming a mouthpiece or a patsy or a tool for people whose views are completely wrong and are contrary to the best interests of our nation, our planet and indeed the Liberal Party." (Turnbull unleashes tirade on Liberal rebels, abc.net.au, 29/11/09)

His revolting, climate change-denying successor, Tony Abbott, you will be unsurprised to learn, has been a mouthpiece, patsy and tool for another group of people whose views are completely wrong and contrary to the best interests of our nation, our planet, the Liberal and Labor parties, and indeed just about everything else under the sun, at least since Tuesday, 28 October 2003 when he addressed the Zionist Council of Victoria.* Abbott herein demonstrates his mastery of Zionist talking points, a key requirement for any serious Australian political leader. Some gems:

Israel's as pure (and white!) as the driven snow - just like us!:

"It's not anti-Semitic to criticise the Israeli Government when it's wrong... But what is it, then, to proclaim moral equivalence between an Israeli leadership striving to preserve a liberal, pluralist democracy and a Palestinian leadership running a one party statelet dedicated to destroying its neighbour? What is it, if not anti-Semitism, which makes many Western countries and Western citizens habitual critics of Israel even though it's the only functioning liberal democracy anywhere in the Middle East."

Thank God for canaries in coalmines:

"When the passenger jets tore into the World Trade Centre and the bombs ripped through Bali nightclubs, the rest of the Western world began to experience what is has long meant to be an Israeli. Far from demonstrating the dire consequences of supporting Israel, these atrocities reveal the extent to which Westerners are all Israelis now."

You never know when or where these buggers are going to pop up, but you know exactly what they're after:

"The distinguishing feature of the September 11 hijackers, Bali terrorists and West Bank suicide bombers is belief that anything less than Taliban-style totalitarianism is an abomination in the eyes of God."

I swear, it's the Nazis all over again:

"The struggle against terrorism in the Middle East is Australia's fight as well as Israel's... Australia can no more afford to see Israel overcome by its enemies than it could have afforded to see Britain defeated in the Second World War."

I read all about it in that Leon Uris novel when I was a nipper and I'll be buggered if my budgie- smuggling's going to take a back seat to another bloody book:

"Hundreds of thousands of Arabs were displaced during the 1948 war - but this started when Egypt, Jordan and Syria tried to prevent the partition of Palestine and to destroy or expel the Jewish inhabitants."

I can be as smartarse a lawyer as the best of them:

"It's often claimed it was hypocritical of America, Britain and Australia, on the one hand, to invade Iraq for failing to comply with UN resolutions but, on the other, to support Israel which is also in breach of UN resolutions. This ignores the key distinction between chapter 7 resolutions which are binding and chapter 6 resolutions which are negotiable."

Israel can spot a Palestinian terrorist from a mile up:

"Attacking terrorist leaders with stand-off missiles is harder to justify especially given the risk of civilian casualties. Even so, there is a world of moral difference between eliminating known terrorists, however ruthlessly, and deliberately killing shoppers, travellers, diners or school children."

I don't have a problem with a hundred Palestinian eyes for one Israeli - it's a tough neighbourhood over there:

"Faced with a terrorist threat as close as the local shopping centre, it would be surprising if there weren't aspects of Israeli life that seem harsh and oppressive, at least to those who have never lived in the valley of the shadow of death."

Psalm 23 and Robert Frost - irresistable!:

"In the face of carnage, well-meaning outsiders inevitably cluster on the sidelines and call on 'both sides' to make concessions. Invariably pious hopes about not building walls between people jostle with the understanding born of bitter experience that, very often, it's good fences which make good neighbours."

Sheesh, the place practically sells itself!:

"Successive Israeli governments have given Arafat repeated opportunities to be a statesman rather than a terrorist godfather. This example of resolution, stoicism, forbearance and decency under fire is Israel's 'best sell' and gift to the wider world."

???!!!???!!!

"The Middle East needs more Palestinians who are committed supporters of Israel and vice versa."

[*For the full Monty see tonyabbott.com.au]

PS: Relax, he's been rambammed*: "As Turnbull was dumped on Tuesday as party leader, the question on Jewish lips was: is his successor, Abbott, as supportive as Turnbull? Judging by previous comments, it seems the community has no need to worry. [Abbott] was most recently in Israel in July 2008 on an Australia/Israel & Jewish Affairs Council (AIJAC) Rambam Mission. During the trip, Abbott travelled far and wide - to the Lebanon border, Golan Heights, Sderot and Jerusalem - with his Liberal Party colleagues." (Abbott a friend of Israel, The Australian Jewish News, 4/12/09)

[*See my 30/3/09 post I've Been to Israel Too]