Wong: Courage Amid Zionist Onslaught

Australia’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, Penny Wong, is a courageous politician and woman. Her stance against Israel’s war crimes and the genocide it’s committing against the Palestinian people in Gaza continues to see her come under attack from many quarters.

There’s no denying Wong is brave, and every Australian should be proud of her leadership on an issue very few politicians in Australia have spoken up on. Which makes the latest round of attacks she’s come under, even more disturbing.

Sky News has never hidden its extreme right-wing conservative values—it is, after all, part of Rupert Murdoch’s NewsCorp’s global stable of print and electronic media interests.

Like The Australian, Sky has consistently invited guests that add little intellectual reckoning to geopolitical matters impacting global security. And this week, David Sharma launched an unhinged tirade against Wong over her handling of Israel’s genocide in Gaza.

Sharma, for anyone who doesn’t know who he is, is a former Australian politician on the conservative side of politics. He was a member of the Federal Liberal Party and is best described as an ineffectual politician of no great intellectual standing.

However, his attack on Wong exemplifies a dangerous alignment by certain Australian political figures with the Israeli lobby. Sharma’s attack, amplified by Sky, reflects an alarming complicity in Israel’s crimes and reveals his continued reliance on obsequious pandering to the Zionist agenda for self-interest, whatever that may be.

Sharma, a former Australian ambassador to Israel, accused Wong of “insulting” Israel by delaying her visit to the country and refusing to visit sites of the October 7 massacres. Parroted by Sky News, they attempt to paint Wong as indifferent to Israeli suffering while conveniently ignoring the harrowing and well-documented atrocities inflicted upon Palestinians during Israel’s ongoing genocide in Gaza. This selective outrage highlights not only Sharma’s biases but his alarming disregard for human rights and international law.

Wong, on the other hand, has consistently shown her strong moral and humanitarian stance, emphasising the humanity and safety of Palestinians and opposing the oppression, subjugation, and the genocidal policies of Israel. Wong’s approach reflects her commitment to ensure the Palestinian people aren’t completely robbed of their homeland, dignity, or future by Israel’s Zionist-driven expansionist agenda.

As Foreign Minister, Wong has highlighted the importance of adhering to international law and condemning actions that strip Palestinians of their fundamental rights. She’s called for restraint from all parties while making it clear the indiscriminate bombings of civilians, destruction of homes, and the collective punishment of Palestinians are unacceptable under any circumstance. Wong’s stance reflects not only compassion but a clear understanding of the long-term consequences of allowing Israel’s unchecked aggression to continue.

Wong’s insistence on addressing the root causes of the conflict—including the illegal occupation, settlement expansion, and systematic dehumanisation of Palestinians—demonstrates her belief in a just and lasting peace. Her refusal to adopt the uncritical pro-Israel rhetoric trumpeted by figures like Sharma is testament to her courage and integrity as a leader.

Sharma’s tirade comes in the context of the October 7 Hamas attack, which has been used by Israel and its supporters to justify what many have described as genocidal actions against Palestinians. But October 7 is really May 15, 1948, and the bombings of residential areas, hospitals, and schools in Gaza have caused the deaths of 250,000 plus Palestinians, including a staggering number of children. Yet, with Sharma’s eagerness to wave Israel’s genocidal flag and curry favour with the Israeli lobby, he hasn’t expressed similar indignation over these war crimes. His silence on Palestinian suffering reveals a calculated attempt to delegitimise any balanced or critical stance on Israel’s actions.

To suggest Wong “insulted” Israel by not visiting massacre sites isn’t only disingenuous but typical of his skewed priorities. Sharma’s comments imply a show of solidarity with Israeli victims is a litmus test for diplomacy, while the voices of the countless Palestinian victims are to be ignored or silenced. This one-sided narrative aligns seamlessly with the talking points of Sky News, a platform notorious for its uncritical promotion of pro-Israel rhetoric.

Sharma’s record as a politician provides little evidence of meaningful contributions to Australian society. His tenure in Parliament was marked by mediocrity and an apparent preoccupation with advancing his personal ambitions rather than serving the public good. As a former ambassador to Israel, Sharma has long been an advocate for policies that align with Israeli interests, often at the expense of a fair and just approach to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. His criticism of Wong is less about genuine concern for Australia’s foreign policy and more about reinforcing his ties with the Israeli lobby.

It’s worth noting Sharma’s political career has been defined more by failure than success. He was unseated in the federal electorate of Wentworth, a loss highlighting his inability to connect with voters on substantive issues. Since then, he’s sought relevance by aligning himself with controversial and divisive causes, with his latest attack on Wong serving as a prime example.

Sky News, ever eager to serve as a mouthpiece for right-wing agendas, has provided Sharma with a platform to propagate his views unchallenged. The network’s coverage of Wong’s stance on Israel has been predictably one-sided, with hosts like Danica De Giorgio parroting Sharma’s talking points without any scrutiny. This complicity extends to a broader pattern of media outlets in Australia that uncritically amplify pro-Israel narratives while demonising any attempt to call out its crimes.

By focusing exclusively on Wong’s alleged missteps, Sky News and Sharma have sidestepped the broader issue of Israel’s actions in Gaza. The indiscriminate bombings, the displacement of over a million people, and the complete blockade of food, water, and medical supplies in Gaza constitute violations of international humanitarian law. Yet these realities are conspicuously absent from their discourse, a glaring omission that speaks volumes about their priorities.

Sharma’s attack on Wong is an attempt to maintain relevance by pandering to the Israeli lobby and its sympathisers in the Australian media. His remarks, amplified by Sky News, reflect a disturbing complicity in Israel’s crimes and a disregard for the suffering of Palestinians.

Wong is an Australian hero.