Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's visit to Australia this week is having precisely the opposite impact to what he no doubt intended.
Instead of shoring up support for Israel's flagrant disregard for United Nations resolutions condemning its continual annexation of Palestinian land, it is driving a deep wedge into what was previously unflagging bipartisan Australian political party support for Israel.
For the last 67 years, successive Australian governments have been ardent supporters of Israel. Former Liberal party Australian Prime Minister John Howard was just as much an 'unapologetic supporter of Israel' as Labor's Julia Gillard when Prime Minister.
Australian politicians's support was reinforced by the availability of study trips to Israel funded by its government or Israeli interest groups. Australian politicians accepted 44 such trips in a two-year period to 2012.
In 2002 the Australian and Israel governments even issued a joint declaration launching an organisation called the Australian Israel Cultural Exchange. It was announced simultaneously by then Foreign Minister Alexander Downer in Parliament House, Canberra, and by Israel's then Minister for Foreign Affairs, Netanyahu in Jerusalem.
Australia has consistently voted with the US against, or abstained from voting on, UN resolutions for Israel to end its occupation of Palestinian territories; on resolutions to end its extension of settlements into Palestinian territory; and on Palestinian UN status. It abstained from a vote in November, supported by 153 countries, for intensification of efforts for a peaceful settlement of the Palestinian issue.
But since Foreign Minister Julie Bishop announced the Netanyahu visit, what — with the exception of former Foreign Minister Bob Carr — has been a rusted on Labor Party support for Israel is unravelling.
Former Labor Prime Minister Bob Hawke, a vociferous supporter of Israel during his tenure as Prime Minister, recently announced a rethink on the question of Palestine. He criticised Israel for its expansionist policies and called on the Turnbull government to grant diplomatic recognition to the state of Palestine.
"Australia's connection with Palestine predates the creation of the state of Israel. It was where Australian soldiers who served in the two world wars in the Middle East were sent on leave and were graciously welcomed."
When he was Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd, speaking in 2008 at a fundraising dinner for the United Israel Appeal at Melbourne's crown casino, declared himself 'a friend of Israel'. He went further in his enthusiasm, referring to Israel's creation in 1948 as 'Australian Labor government handiwork' — a reference to Labor's