Dave Sharma Watch

Y'all know former Australian ambassador to Israel (or is it the other way around?), and Wentworth wannabe, Dave Sharma by now, right?

How could you not?

*After all, government documents obtained by the ABC in February reveal that PM Morrison was persuaded by Sharma to move the Australian embassy in Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, a decision that, coincidentally, was announced during last October's Wentworth by-election in the hope that Jewish voters there would rally to his cause.

*And who could forget Mrs Sharma's heartfelt sentiment that "we will be very, very proud ambassadors for Israel to the world"?

*Not to mention her husband's gushing declaration that "Israel will always be in our hearts, blood, souls, veins."

Memorable indeed!

Which brings us to the question, as the federal election nears, of what the man who has declared himself literally riddled with Israel has been up to. So, here's a round-up, incomplete no doubt, but so telling nonetheless of the stark Israelicentric realities of elite politics in this country:

"Independent MP Kerryn Phelps says 'dirty tricks' are behind the removal of hundreds of political posters promoting her campaign for the federal seat of Wentworth in Sydney's affluent eastern suburbs. Dr Phelps is fighting to retain the seat she won after a resounding 20% swing against [Liberal Party] candidate Dave Sharma in the October by-election. But on Friday night her posters were taken down in several locations along New South Head Road at Rose Bay, at Bondi and in Elizabeth Bay, Dr Phelps said... The Liberal Party's posters remained in place, Dr Phelps said, adding: 'So you can make your own conclusions about that.' But Liberal candidate Dave Sharma flatly denied having anything to do with it, saying his posters had suffered the same fate." (Kerryn Phelps alleges 'dirty tricks' behind removal of election campaign posters in Wentworth, Sue Daniel, abc.net.au, 14/4/19)

"Sharma, a former ambassador to Israel, told The Australian: 'I was very concerned to see that my opponent has been retweeting endorsements from a prominent supporter of the anti-Israel Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement, one who has called on Australians to boycott the Eurovision Song Contest being held in Israel this month.' However Phelps, who converted to Judaism when she married [Jackie] Stricker... in 2011, had already deleted her retweet after being alerted to the author @Saints_Dragons' anti-Israel history. There was no mention of BDS or Israel in the Tweet, an endorsement of her re-election campaign by @Saints_Dragons, which Phelps had initially retweeted. Phelps told The Australian this, confirmed she was a supporter of Israel and made it clear she did not condone BDS. The story, and Sharma's comments, were then binned. When asked about the story that never was, Phelps told PS: 'It was a shameful attempt by Dave Sharma to discredit me and destroy my reputation within the Jewish community'." (Stayin' alive in Wentworth amid smears as campaign goes nuclear, PS, The Sydney Morning Herald, 4/5/19)

"Not spotted, however, [at the Liberal Party'a election fundraising machine at Justin Hemmes' gothic Vaucluse pile The Hermitage] former Australian ambassador to Israel turned Liberal candidate in Wentworth... Dave Sharma. He wasn't at Bondi Pavilion's High Tide Room either, where there was a local meet the candidates event with his independent rival, Wentworth MP Kerryn Phelps. But CBD did eventually locate him, at another swanky Wentworth home, this time in Double Bay, where he was attending a Liberal friends of Israel event." (Hemmes' lavish cocktail party for Libs, CBD, Kylar Loussikian, Sydney Morning Herald, 7/5/19)

"And while Hemmes, Morrison and a slew of his Cabinet including Social Services Minister Paul Fletcher and Trade Minister Simon Birmingham sat down for a $13,750-a-head fundraising dinner on Monday, Foreign Minister Marise Payne slipped out of the side door. She was a key guest at the Liberal Friends of Israel dinner at another lavish home in Double Bay that evening, raising money for Wentworth candidate Dave Sharma. While our attempts at wrangling the name of the mystery host came to nought - we're told it was a secretive Israeli tech player - we can tell you the dinner also attracted Vaucluse MP Gabrielle Upton, Fletcher staffer Will Nemesh and carpet scion Yosi Tal. (Tal also happens to be the president of the Friends of Israel." (Cash collection, CBD, Kylar Loussikian/Samantha Hutchinson, Sydney Morning Herald, 8/5/19)