Howard a champion of Israel

FORMER Australian prime minister John Howard received the inaugural Australia/Israel & Jewish Affairs Council (AIJAC) Award Recognising Distinguished Leadership last Thursday night.

Describing Howard as a true friend of Israel, AIJAC national chairman Mark Leibler said “John Howard has been a champion of the Jewish State and the Jewish people for six decades. Under the exceptional partnership of prime minister John Howard and foreign minister Alexander Downer, the warm relationship between Australia and Israel strengthened and developed greater depth.”

Howard praised the Jewish community when he accepted the award. “The Jewish community all through the history of our country has contributed so much to the building of a better Australia,” Howard said. “Your community has very properly and proudly maintained its identification with the State of Israel. That has been understandable and deeply impressive.”

He also reflected on the situation in the Middle East, and said that he believes peace is possible.

“There is goodwill throughout the world towards a settlement.

“It will continue to be long and difficult, just as many people despaired for many years about there every being a settlement in Northern Ireland.

“The Middle East is of course a different scale, but the principle is not all that different.”

JOSHUA LEVI

John Howard (left) receives his AIJAC award from Frank Lowy.

comments