Kevin Rudd fires up at foreign leader

Former Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd took umbrage with comments made by visiting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a press conference.

Speaking to the press, Mr Netanyahu was asked about comments made by former Australian Leaders Kevin Rudd and Bob Hawke where they stated that Mr Netanyaho should recognise a Palestinian state.  Mr Netanyaho stated, “What kind of state will it be that they are advocating? A state that calls for Israel’s destruction?”  He added, “A state whose territory will be used immediately for radical Islam?”

Mr Rudd was quick to reply, taking to the social media site Facebook for his response writing, “I have a simple reply to Mr Netanyahu: The boundaries, internal security, external security, public finance and governance of a Palestinian state have been elaborated in detail in multiple negotiations with the US under the Clinton, Bush and Obama Administrations, most recently in the Kerry Plan”.  

He continued, “Mr Netanyahu knows these formulations like the back of his hand. Mr Netanyahu also knows he has torpedoed each of them, often at five minutes to midnight, often by changing the goalposts, to the enduring frustration of both Republican and Democrat Administrations.” He added, “That is why I beg to differ on this and other aspects of Mr Netanyahu’s policies”.

Mr Rudd also thinks that Mr Netanyahu should use his visit to Australia for other things.  He wrote, “Will he use this visit to Australia to apologise to the Australian people for his government using forged Australian passports to facilitate an Israeli assassination of a member of Hamas in Dubai?” He added, “No apology has ever been received for that action which had the consequence of putting the integrity of Australian passports and the security of Australian passport holders travelling to the Middle East at risk.”

What do you think about Rudd’s comments?