Media Releases

Media Release

The Australia/Israel & Jewish Affairs Council (AIJAC) has welcomed US President Donald Trump’s announcement that John Bolton has been appointed to become the US National Security Adviser.

Bolton, who visited Australia in 2014 and was guest of honour at an AIJAC lunch in Melbourne in July of that year, will replace General H.R. McMaster on April 9.

Mark Leibler AC, national chairman of AIJAC, said Bolton’s views on a range of pressing international issues are well known.

“AIJAC has always welcomed Ambassador Bolton’s courageous defence of Israel during his time in the Reagan and Bush Snr administrations, in the US State Department and while he was US Ambassador to the UN under President George W Bush,” Mr Leibler said.

Mr Leibler commended Bolton for strongly supporting the Trump Administration’s decision to move the US Embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, which AIJAC also enthusiastically supported.

Ahead of the move, Bolton wrote: “Moving our embassy may produce new talking points for those who have never reconciled themselves to Israel’s existence in the first place, but it will not ‘cause’ any change in the existing geopolitical state of play.”

AIJAC executive director Dr Colin Rubenstein noted Bolton has expressed firm views on the need to reconsider the failed nuclear deal with Iran, in line with President Trump’s concerns. The removal of sanctions as part of that deal has not seen an improvement in living standards or human rights, as was hoped by the architects of the deal. Instead it has seen the expansion of Iran’s military might and ability to fight ongoing proxy wars in Iraq, Yemen and Syria – right on Israel’s doorstep.

“Iran is posing a real danger to security in the Middle East and beyond. Ambassador Bolton has indicated he understands the significance of this threat and is committed to the security of the region,” Dr Rubenstein concluded.

For additional information contact AIJAC on (03)-9681-6660.