Baird commits to visit Israel

MIKE Baird will visit Israel if re-elected as NSW premier next year.

He made the announcement at State Parliament’s annual Yom Ha’atzmaut cocktail reception at the Four Seasons Hotel on Monday night, the first communal event he has attended in his new role.

Pledging to lead a trade delegation to the Jewish State if re-elected next March, Baird told the 500-strong crowd, which included Israeli ambassador Shmuel Ben-Shmuel and NSW Opposition leader John Robertson, “No NSW premier has visited Israel this century. This is long enough.”

Reflecting on the relationship between the two countries, he added “Australia was the first country to vote in favour of the 1947 UN partition resolution, which created Israel, and our two countries have shared a strong friendship ever since.”

Baird also emphasised the contribution made by the community to Australia, noting Jews arrived on the first fleet and that more than 40,000 “make their homes in NSW today”.

“NSW benefits enormously from the Jewish community’s high level of social responsibility, citizenship and philanthropy,” he said.

Turning to the challenges Israel faces, the Premier said, “Each and every day it has to make the argument for its own existence.

He added, “Australia supports a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict that recognises Israel’s right to exist in peace, and rightly so.

“Yet we know there are those who make it their task to whip up fear and hatred towards Israel. Even here in multicultural Australia, one of the most distasteful examples is the boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) campaign, which has such regrettable echoes of the past persecution of Jewish-owned businesses. The BDS campaign disgusts ordinary, decent Australians and attracts bipartisan condemnation.”

Speaking to The AJN at the function, Baird elaborated on his pledge to become the first premier this century to visit Israel. “It seemed to me a very strange thing that it hadn’t happened, so when I became aware I did ask the question. It seemed a very logical thing to do.”

The event was co-hosted by the NSW Jewish Board of Deputies, the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, the Zionist Federation of Australia and the Zionist Council of NSW.

EVAN ZLATKIS 

Premier Mike Baird addressing State Parliament’s Yom Ha’atzmaut cocktail reception. Photo: Giselle Haber.