More Than Friends...

You & I are more than friends. We're like a really small gang.

"Seeking to smooth over relations ahead of his meeting with Mr Netanyahu tomorrow, Mr Shorten told The Australian the Israeli leader could be confident that the longstanding friendship between Labor and the Jewish state remained strong. 'Israelis and Palestinians can be sure that they have a great friend in the Labor Party,' Mr Shorten said. 'Good friends are honest with each other, we always have been. I've met with the Prime Minister before and we get on well. We have a direct relationship. I'm looking forward to seeing him again'." (Israeli PM blasts Labor elders, Simon Benson/ Sarah Martin, The Australian, 23/2/17)

"More moderate Arab nations will begin to see Israel as a friend and ally against extremist 'barbarians', visiting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has declared. Mr Netanyahu said last night that recent visits to Muslim-majority nations Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan, where Jews were free to practice their religion openly, had given him hope Israel would be seen as a 'beacon of light amidst the darkness'. 'Many Arab countries (will) realise Israel is not their enemy but their valuable ally in fighting off the barbarism that surrounds all of us,' Mr Netanyahu told about 2000 mostly Jewish attendees at Sydney's Central Synagogue last night. During the recent trips to the two former Soviet republics, Mr Netanyahu saw Jews singing 'Jew songs in Arab countries'." (Israel a friend for all in the battle against barbarism: Bibi, Anthony Klan/ Simon King, The Australian, 23/2/17)

"We would never support a resolution so one-sided, attributing fault only to the state of Israel,' Mr Turnbull said. 'We are a committed and consistent friend. We have been so since the beginning and we will always be." (ibid)

"The lunch cemented a close bond between Australia and Israel. 'When I colour the map', Mr Netanyahu told those attending, 'I colour Australia the same colour as I colour the United States'." (ibid)