The Israeli Foreign Ministry wanted Israel's president, Reuven Rivlin, to visit Straya. Straya being Straya, it just couldn't say no. Those Israeli pheromones are just too good to resist:
"The Australians were surprised at the short notice. However, as they attach tremendous importance to what would be the first visit by an Israeli president in 11 years (and that was one they'd rather forget, by Moshe Katsav)*, they went out of their way and agreed to it. Australia's governor-general, who is Rivlin's counterpart, canceled a scheduled trip abroad; the prime minister rearranged his schedule. The Jewish community was in seventh heaven. A series of meetings and festive meals was arranged for Rivlin with Australia's elite, in three cities. 'We admire Rivlin,' an official Australian source told me. 'We consider him a positive figure, unifying and tolerant'." (Shock & humiliation in Australia after Israeli president cancels official visit, Yossi Verter, Haaretz, 5/3/16)
What, as opposed to PM Netanyahu?
But then? Rivlin got a better offer. Putin invited him around for a bear hug. Straya, who'd been wetting her pants in anticipation, was - shock! horror! - stood up!!!
Hell hath no fury like a Straya scorned:
"It's hard to overstate the shock of the Australian leadership when they got the phone call from Jerusalem. 'We were stunned,' the official source related. 'We didn't know the first thing about Moscow. We couldn't understand why Russia couldn't be postponed for a few days. We didn't understand why we, your best friend, deserved this public humiliation. And in favor of the Russians, who are not exactly your friends. You are the ones who suggested and requested the visit, we did all we could to organize it with unprecedented speed, and then you postpone'. It's equally difficult to overstate the scale of the unpleasantness that was felt in the president's Residence. On Tuesday, Rivlin's office called the office of the governor-general of Australia, Peter Cosgrove, to apologize. Cosgrove refused to take the call. Rivlin was told that the prime minister, Malcolm Turnbull, would agree to speak to him. The two spoke for about 15 minutes. Ostensibly, things were set right, but not really."
Silly tart!
[*Now serving time for rape.]
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