Ex-Foreign Minister Bob Carr Exposes the Israeli Lobby’s Influence on Australian Politics
In a revealing and candid interview, one of Australia’s most seasoned political figures, the Hon. Bob Carr, pulls back the curtain on the powerful influence of the Israeli lobby in Australian politics. Carr, the former Foreign Minister and longest-serving Premier of New South Wales, argues that this well-funded operation is designed to place Israeli interests above Australia’s, shaping foreign policy for decades.
Once a co-founder of the Labour Friends of Israel, Carr’s perspective has undergone a profound transformation. Today, he is one of the most vocal critics of Israel’s actions in Gaza. This post breaks down his insider account, exploring the lobby’s tactics, its impact on Australian democracy, and the urgent moral questions facing the nation today.
The Journey from Ally to Critic
Bob Carr’s political journey on the Israel-Palestine issue is one of dramatic evolution. In 1977, he co-founded the Labour Friends of Israel with Bob Hawke, earning a reputation in Tel Aviv as an “honourable gentile.” So, what prompted such a significant shift?
“I think it was gradual,” Carr explains. The change wasn’t a single event but an awakening driven by two key factors:
1. Discovering Palestinian Stories: In the 1970s, the Palestinian narrative was largely invisible in the Western world. “None of us back in the 70s knew a Palestinian, knew a story of a Palestinian family,” Carr admits. As he began to learn about the history and personal experiences of Palestinians, his perspective broadened.
2. The Unchecked Spread of Settlements: A “simmering concern” that eroded his faith in Israel was the relentless expansion of settlements on Palestinian land. It became clear that these settlements were not temporary but a deliberate strategy to “block the establishment of a Palestinian state.”
This realisation stood in stark contrast to the official assurances he and other world leaders were given. Today, with Israeli cabinet members openly confirming that settlements are meant to prevent a Palestinian state, Carr’s early concerns have been validated.
A Defining Moment: The UN Vote on Palestine
A pivotal moment came during Carr’s tenure as Foreign Minister. When the United Nations held a vote to upgrade Palestine’s status to a non-member observer state, then-Prime Minister Julia Gillard wanted Australia to side with the US and Israel in voting no.
Carr pushed back, ultimately securing an abstention. The experience was a lesson in Australian politics. In his diary, he later asked whether Labour’s dependence on donations from the Jewish community shaped its stance.
When Carr took the issue to the broader Parliamentary Labour Party, he found a surprising level of shared sentiment. “I found that they felt the same way about Israel. And its contempt… for a two-state solution,” he recalls. The support for Israel’s hardline policies, he discovered, was “very, very shallow.”
This episode revealed that behind the scenes, many politicians were questioning the official pro-Israel line, even as a powerful lobby worked to maintain it.
Unpacking the Israeli Lobby’s Influence in Australia
Carr does not mince words when describing the mechanisms of influence he witnessed firsthand.
A Well-Funded Foreign Influence Operation
“The Israeli Jewish lobby in Australia is a foreign influence operation,” Carr states bluntly. “It’s designed to put the interests of Israel above the interests of Australia and its foreign policy.”
He outlines its key characteristics:
Unmatched Funding: No other country has an operation as well-funded as Australia.
Nationwide Presence: It maintains offices in every Australian capital city.
Political Donations: It strategically organises donations to “elevate its influence.”
Carr notes that former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and current minister Tony Burke have both spoken about the role of campaign donations in shaping discussions on Israel-Palestine.
“The Israeli Jewish Lobby in Australia is a foreign influence operation. It’s designed to put the interests of Israel above the interests of Australia and its foreign policy.” – Hon. Bob Carr
Distorting Democracy for Foreign Interests
According to Carr, this influence creates a “distortion of democracy.” Instead of policy being based on Australia’s national interests, it becomes swayed by the desires of a lobby representing a foreign government.
He compares the model to that of AIPAC in the United States, where any member of Congress critical of Israel can expect a well-funded primary challenger, often bankrolled by pro-Israel donors. This pressure ensures that politicians think twice before deviating from the pro-Israel line.
Standing Firm Against Pressure: A Foreign Minister’s Account
Carr shares powerful personal anecdotes illustrating the lobby’s direct pressure tactics.
While serving as Foreign Minister in New York, he issued a statement opposing a new wave of Israeli settlements. The response was immediate. An advisor to the Prime Minister conveyed a request for Carr to meet “the community”, meaning the Jewish leadership to “straighten him out.”
Carr refused. “Opposition to settlement expansion is based on the fact that in international law they are plainly illegal,” he asserts. “I thought it was simply impertinent for the Jewish community to say, ‘Oh goodness, the foreign minister of Australia has expressed opposition… we need to get him online.'”
Years earlier, as NSW Premier, he faced a “bullying campaign” to force him to withdraw from presenting a peace prize from Sydney University to esteemed Palestinian spokesperson Dr. Hanan Ashrawi. Despite intense pressure, he refused to back down, stating it would have been “appalling” to break his word. The public feedback he received from ordinary Australians was “massively supportive.”
Confronting the Crisis in Gaza
Carr has been outspoken about the catastrophic situation in Gaza, drawing sharp criticism from pro-Israel groups.
Responding to Accusations of Antisemitism
When he compared scenes in Gaza to “Holocaust-like scenarios,” the Executive Council of Australian Jewry called his views “shameful and utterly despicable.”
Carr stands by his statements, arguing they have only grown stronger as more evidence emerges. He accuses his critics of “conflating criticism of the genocidal conduct of the IDF… with antisemitism,” calling it a “shocking degeneration into abuse.”
Is It Genocide? Carr’s Unflinching Assessment
When asked directly if Israel’s actions constitute genocide, Carr’s answer is an unequivocal “Yes.”
He provides a chilling rationale for his conclusion:
- Destroying 80% of a people’s housing.
- Cutting off supplies of food, medicine, and potable water.
- Forcing civilians on “death marches” to live in unsanitary tent settlements.
- Allowing the IDF to shoot at children.
“What other word can you use?” he asks. “What other word does a dictionary give us? What other word can you find in a thesaurus but the planned murder of a people?”
Settlements: The Deliberate Obstacle to Peace
For Carr, the settlement issue is central to the conflict. He believes they are being used to deliberately “bury the prospect of a Palestinian state,” making a two-state solution impossible.
He recalls being told decades ago that the settlements could be “quickly dismantled” for a peace deal. “Now we know we’re being lied to,” he says, pointing to Netanyahu’s duplicity on the matter.
What Can Australia Do?
Carr suggests practical steps Australia can take to oppose illegal settlements:
Mandatory Labelling: Require products to be identified as coming from a settlement, allowing consumers to make informed choices.
Consumer Action: Empower Australians to boycott settlement goods as a matter of conscience.
Australia’s Shifting Stance and Netanyahu’s Ire
Recently, the Australian government has signalled its intent to recognise a Palestinian state, a major policy shift that drew a furious response from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Netanyahu called Prime Minister Anthony Albanese “a weak politician who betrayed Israel.”
Carr dismisses this as an “absurd smear.” He notes that Albanese is simply aligning Australia with key allies like France and the UK and criticising “war crimes against a civilian population” that the rest of the world condemns. “Albanese should be accorded hero status… for standing up and branding this as wrong,” Carr argues.
The Path Forward: Sanctions, Arrests, and Public Opinion
As the crisis deepens, Carr believes Australia must consider more decisive actions.
Arrest Warrants and International Law
If the International Criminal Court (ICC) issues an arrest warrant for Benjamin Netanyahu for war crimes, would Australia have to act? “We’d have no alternative but to arrest him,” Carr confirms. As a signatory to the Rome Statute, Australia is legally obligated to do so.
The Case for Sanctions
Carr raises a stark question: “If a country is knowingly implementing a genocide… do we deal with the perpetrators of this as a normal nation?”
His answer is no. He urges Australia to begin assessing diplomatic options, including sanctions, and to collaborate with like-minded countries on a unified response.
A Message to the Australian Public
Bob Carr’s testimony provides a rare and sobering look into the forces shaping Australia’s foreign policy. His journey from a “friend of Israel” to one of its staunchest critics reflects a broader shift he sees happening across the country.
“The shift in Australian public opinion is just about complete,” he concludes. “The Australian people are appalled by the crimes of the Netanyahu government, and they expect Australia to react accordingly.”
As the world watches the tragedy in Gaza unfold, Carr’s message is clear: diplomacy cannot be separated from morality, and the time for passive observation is over.