| Summary: | Australia must play a more constructive role in the Middle East, argues BEN SAUL THE Australian government’s position on the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah has not helped the search for a peaceful settlement. Apart from rescuing its own nationals, Australia done little but give Israel a green light to keep pounding Hezbollah, regardless of the cost in civilian lives. Even after Israel attacked and killed unarmed United Nations observers, Australia did not supported a ceasefire through the Security Council nor urge Israel to exercise more restraint. On one view, Australia is a long way from the Middle East and it is unrealistic to expect Australia to play a major role in settling either the current conflict between Israel and Hezbollah or the broader stalemate in Palestine. Australia is a small (rather than ‘middle’) power, with little leverage in the region, and no more strategic interests there than anyone else. Neither Israel nor Hezbollah are known for taking other countries’ advice, let alone a small country somewhere near Antarctica. Yet these constraints do not mean that Australia should not do its best to work for a peaceful settlement of the conflict. For one thing, about 100,000 Jewish people and 300,000 Australians of Lebanese origin live in Australia, while there were up to 25,000 Australians living in Lebanon. Despite heavy-handed criticism in the media, the Australian government and its diplomats did their best, under difficult circumstances, to extract Australians from the war zone in Lebanon. It is plainly in Australia’s interests to protect its citizens and their families from violence overseas. While the conflict is hardly likely to spill over into the Australian streets, it is also in Australia’s interests to prevent conflicts which generate tensions in the Australian community. The despicable attack on a Jewish synagogue in Parramatta is a case in point. Such attacks are hardly an inevitable consequence of foreign conflicts, and most of the time the Australian community remains pretty ...
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