Lieberman trip cancelled
ISRAELI Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman has cancelled his trip to Australia only three days after invitations to a private function with him in Melbourne were sent out.
ISRAELI Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman has cancelled his trip to Australia only three days after invitations to a private function with him in Melbourne were sent out.
Last Tuesday members of the community were invited to join the presidents of the Zionist Federation of Australia and the Zionist Council of Victoria “for dinner with our special guest”, Lieberman, this Sunday night.
But the trip, which would have been his first visit Down Under, was cancelled last Friday, with an email sent out on Monday informing invitees to the event that Lieberman “has had to unfortunately cancel his upcoming visit to Australia”.
Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop, who met Lieberman in Jerusalem earlier this year, told The AJN: “We remain in regular, close contact including meeting at international forums. I look forward to welcoming him to Australia when his schedule permits.”
The community is also hopeful he will reschedule the trip for a later date.
ZCV president Sam Tatarka said: “It’s disappointing that the Foreign Minister has had to cancel his planned visit. We look forward to welcoming him as soon as his schedule and events in Israel permit.”
As part of his visit, Lieberman was also set to meet members of the Russian-speaking Jewish community living in Melbourne, as well as Jewish community leaders in Sydney.
Outgoing NSW Jewish Board of Deputies president Yair Miller said: “We are obviously disappointed that the Foreign Minister’s mooted visit is not taking place. We fully appreciate the volatile and uncertain period in which the State of Israel finds herself and the Minister’s need to be there. We look forward to welcoming him at the earliest possible opportunity.”
ZFA president Dr Danny Lamm could not be reached for comment.
EVAN ZLATKIS
Avigdor Lieberman’s Australian trip has been called off.
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