Penny Wong butts heads with Israeli Foreign Minister in fiery call

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Penny Wong butts heads with Israeli Foreign Minister in fiery call

Penny Wong has clashed with her Israeli counterpart in a fiery phone call overnight amid severe friction between the Albanese and Netanyahu governments.

What started as a constructive conversation to find a way to improve the bilateral relationship quickly turned sour, with Israel’s Gideon Sa’ar accusing the Albanese government of abandoning its Middle East ally, according to an Israeli daily.

An *********** government source has confirmed to NewsWire a “tense exchange” took place.

Mr Sa’ar expressed the Israeli government’s ire over Australia’s “weakened” support for its Middle East ally, the Israel Hayom reported.

“Australia chose to distance itself from Israel in its hardest year, fighting against the fiercest enemies,” he said.

He rejected Senator Wong’s grouping of Israel with Russia and China in a call for countries to follow international law.

“Israel is a Western democratic country that upholds the rule of law, has an independent judiciary and adheres to international law,” Mr Sa’ar said.

“Over the past year, Israel has fought against the radical axis led by Iran, supported by Russia and China.”

He also took issue with Australia’s decision to deny a visa to former Israeli justice minister Ayelet Shaked.

Camera IconForeign Minister Penny Wong has grouped Israel with Russia and China in a call for countries to follow international law. NewsWire / Martin Ollman Credit: News Corp Australia

“How would you react if we treated a former minister from Australia this way?” he said.

The call came after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused the Albanese government of taking an “extreme anti-Israeli position”, claiming it was partly responsible for the firebombing of a Melbourne synagogue in Melbourne.

NewsWire has contacted Senator Wong’s office for comment.

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