Rudd, MPs off to Israel
NEXT month Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd will get to do something he was not able to during his time as Prime Minister: travel to Israel.
NEXT month Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd will get to do something he was not able to during his time as Prime Minister: travel to Israel.
Rudd is poised to join a large group of his parliamentary colleagues in Israel for a leadership conference, which is expected to be attended by senior Knesset ministers as well.
The Department of Foreign Affairs would not disclose details of Rudd’s plans so far in advance, but The AJN spoke with a senior Israeli source who confirmed the trip was being planned.
Other senior MPs expected to travel to the Jewish State include Communications Minister Stephen Conroy, Deputy Opposition Leader Julie Bishop and shadow education minister Christopher Pyne. Dr Mike Kelly, Michael Danby, Andrew Robb and Senator Mitch Fifield are among some of the others on the guest list.
Five senior Australian journalists are also expected to be flown over, including representatives from the ABC, The Australian and The Sydney Morning Herald. The leadership forum and trip are being hosted by the Australia-Israel Leadership Forum (AILF), founded by Australian businessman Albert Dadon. December’s mission is the second such visit to Israel, organised by the AILF.
The trip will cap off a busy time for Rudd, who since taking up the position, has played an activist role in Australia’s foreign policy.
Next month, he will host United States Secretary of State Hillary Clinton when she visits Australia. She will be accompanied by US Secretary of Defence Robert Gates to participate in annual security talks between Australia and its close ally.
Rudd last week told press he expects Middle East security to be among the topics discussed between the parties.
“We cover anything and everything which is current on the regional and global agenda,” Rudd said of the talks.
“Obviously we have continued security challenges in Afghanistan, that is plain for everyone to see. There are wider challenges in the Middle East. There are challenges, which we need to address for the future of the Asia Pacific region.”
In Parliament on Tuesday, Rudd highlighted the “continued threat” posed to Australia and the region by Iran’s nuclear program and said it would come under discussion at the talks.
Clinton and Gates will visit Melbourne on November 8.
NAOMI LEVIN
PHOTO: Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd. Photo: AJN file