Michael Sukkar MP

Interview with Kieran Gilbert – Sky News Australia

THE HON MICHAEL SUKKAR MP – SHADOW MINISTER FOR SOCIAL SERVICES, NDIS, HOUSING AND HOMELESSNESS

TRANSCRIPT

INTERVIEW WITH KIERAN GILBERT – SKY NEWS AUSTRALIA

Monday 7 October, 2024

TOPICS: October 7 terrorist attack, Middle East crisis

E&OE

Kieran Gilbert: Welcome back to the program. Let’s go live now to Liberal frontbencher Michael Sukkar. Michael – I spoke to Josh Frydenberg earlier today to mark October 7, this anniversary. He believes with greater leadership from the Federal Government and others, but from the Federal government as well, that protests that we’re seeing around the country to mark October 7 could have been avoided and the rise in Antisemitism could have been limited. What’s your view?

Michael Sukkar: Well, I broadly agree with Josh’s sentiments, and I’ve obviously read some of what Josh has said in today’s paper. I think it’s clear we’ve seen a very confused reaction from the Government. I don’t for a moment doubt the sincerity of those members of the government who, like all of us are mourning on a day like today. But it has seemed to be a confused response, a sort of bob each way response. On one hand, conceding that Israel has a right to defend itself. Yet, whenever Israel exercises its right to defend itself against an invasion of Hamas that killed 1200 of its citizens or thousands of rockets being shot over the border from Lebanon by Hezbollah or missile attacks from Iran. Every time they do respond to those, and we see this confused response from the government calling for deescalation and ceasefire, which is entirely inconsistent with the view that Israel has a right to defend itself. I think also the prime minister has gone missing on this important issue when the world is at a heightened state of concern over the concerns of the Middle East. The prime minister’s tweeting last week about the amount of air in chip packets. I don’t think we’ve seen the sort of leadership that many of the Australians will have seen from prime ministers in the past, like Howard, like Hawke, like Fraser, like Menzies. So, I think Josh has a very good point and I think most Australians can see that this confused response from the Government lacking the sort of definitive moral clarity that you’d need, has exacerbated the problem.

Kieran Gilbert: The nature of the protests, the fact that there was an immediate celebration among some in the wake of October 7, well before any retribution unfolded, the nature of the terrorist flags that have been flown, the images, the paraphernalia, supporting terrorist groups, it’s been the nature of much of this that has shocked, I think, a lot of not just Jewish Australians, Michael Sukkar, but many members of the Australian community when you see some of the reaction here. Whether it is through naivety among uni students or not knowing the history, the complexity or whether it is just terrorist sympathising and anti-Semitism, a lot of it has been appalling, hasn’t it?

Michael Sukkar: It has been appalling. And you are absolutely right, Kieran, that there were people celebrating on the streets in parts of our country. It’s a shock to many Australians, but in parts of our own country, there were people celebrating on the street in the wake of October 7. And we know for a fact that there are certainly Australians, some of whom, as you’ve described are naive and have no idea about anything in the Middle East other than the fact that, you know, they’re professional protesters and that they’ll rock up to any protest available. But there are certainly a vein of people who absolutely support the sort of ideology that we see from Hezbollah, that we see from Hamas. And I just want to remind your viewers, Kieran, that Hezbollah and Hamas are in the vein of ISIS, they’re in the vein of al Qaeda. These are the most grotesque terrorist organisations who basically see anybody who doesn’t share their very, very narrow view of the world as being a target and open season against them. We’ve seen it in the Middle East for a very long time, and decent people have to stand against that. So, the idea that people would A. celebrate an event that saw 1,200 innocent people killed, and now we’re seeing 12 months later, people thinking it’s appropriate to somehow be to be glorifying what’s going on, I think is abhorrent, and let’s not forget, Kieran, there are still hostages who were stolen from their homes 12 months ago, who are being held presumably in tunnels in the most depraved circumstances, 12 months later, fearing for their lives. Those are the ones who are still alive and haven’t been summarily executed. As we know, many of the other hostages that have been over that 12 month period. So, we’re dealing with the most grotesque terrorist groups possible. The idea that any Australian would stand shoulder to shoulder with them, I think you’re right, Kieran shocks many Australians and it certainly shocks us in the Coalition.

Kieran Gilbert: And I know that you made the point to my colleague Andrew Bolt recently, but it does warrant repeating on a day like today, I think, so, when you look at the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, it needs to be referred to in that context because there are leaders in Lebanon, like the patriarch of the Maronite Church, who has argued against Hezbollah, who has urged them not to drag Lebanon back into another war. But certainly, that’s what we’re seeing now. And the Lebanese Maronite community would be about a third, roughly, estimates suggest it’s a third of that population – So, it’s a big cohort. The other thing is, Michael, I want to get your thoughts on this in that context. Israel clearly sees this as a window that it can degrade Hezbollah’s capability and they’re going to use this to the greatest extent that they can.

Michael Sukkar: Well, I think you’ve summed it up really well here. This idea that Israel has invaded a sovereign nation in Lebanon is much more nuanced than that. We’ve got Hezbollah, a terrorist organisation, an extraordinarily powerful and well-funded organization who’s not acting on behalf of the best interests of Lebanon. They’re acting on behalf of Iran. They take their orders from Tehran. They receive their weapons, they bombs, their funding, their training from Iran. They are an Iranian terrorist organisation that operate within the borders of Lebanon. So, this is not an attack of Israel on the Lebanese as such. It’s an important step to degrade a terrorist organisation that’s fired thousands of rockets into Israeli territory. And quite frankly, there will be many Lebanese, I suspect, who are willing Israel on, because Hezbollah has been essentially a shadow government within the borders of Lebanon. They were indicted for assassinating the Lebanese prime minister in 2005. Basically, they have operated in that way for a very long time and they have led, their actions in my view, have led to the Lebanese government basically hitting gridlock. So I know there will be many Lebanese who are willing Israel on. And Israel should use this as an opportunity to degrade Hezbollah because Hezbollah firing thousands of rockets and incursions across the border is intolerable and no nation would accept that. And I often say on moments like this, Kieran, if Australia was on the receiving end of thousands of rockets from a near neighbour, Australians would expect, rightly expect that we would neutralise that risk. And that’s precisely what Israel is doing. And it won’t just be the Maronite Christians in Lebanon, it will be many Muslims as well, who have seen this shocking influence of a bloodthirsty terrorist organisation within the borders of Lebanon, hoping that Israel can help them defeat this very strong and powerful influence within its country.

Kieran Gilbert: Michael Sukker, thanks for joining us. Appreciate it.

Michael Sukkar: Thanks, Kieran.

ENDS