The controversy surrounding Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's visit to Australia has intensified, with Jewish leaders accusing his critics of "staggering" hypocrisy and a Labor MP breaking ranks to openly criticise prominent pro-Palestinian figures in his own party.
Mr Netanyahu will arrive with a business delegation on Wednesday for a four-day visit - the first ever by a serving Israeli Prime Minister - that will include talks with Malcolm Turnbull and Bill Shorten.
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Israel passes law to seize private Palestinian land for settlements
Israel's parliament passed a law on Monday to legalise thousands of settler homes built on privately owned Palestinian land in the occupied West Bank.
Trade, cyber-security, intelligence, the war in Syria and the Middle East peace process will be discussed, with the two countries set to sign agreements on technological research and air services.
But the controversial leader will also be met with protests and criticism.
Sixty business and religious leaders, lawyers, academics, entertainers and former politicians this week joined forces to oppose Mr Netanyahu's visit, penning an open letter that said his policies "provoke, intimidate and oppress" the Palestinian people and are a roadblock to peace.
Jewish leaders hit back on Tuesday, with Anti-Defamation Commission chairman Dvir Abramovich slamming the group that organised the statement - the Australian Palestine Advocacy Network - as having "zero credibility".
"'The double standard of this inflammatory and divisive letter, that singles out the only democracy in the Middle East for censure, is staggering," Dr Abramovich said. "This statement, signed by some organisations and individuals who have ritualistically maligned Israel and advocated its boycott, recycles accusations that are meant to stigmatise and delegitimise the Jewish state."
Alex Ryvchin from the Executive Council of Australian Jews said those opposing Mr Netanyahu's visit failed to grasp that it was about deepening ties with Australia, not Israeli domestic policies.
"I suspect many of those opposing the visit subscribe to the delusion that the way to peace-building between warring parties is by boycotting and hissing one side and infantilising the other. It is not," he said.
The stoush comes after former prime minister Kevin Rudd joined other senior Labor figures - including Bob Hawke, Bob Carr and Gareth Evans - in calling for Australia to recognise Palestinian statehood at the UN. Labor supports a two-state solution but has also moved closer to supporting unilateral recognition, saying that will be up to a future Labor government.
Jewish Labor backbencher Michael Danby said he disagreed with Mr Rudd's decision.
"I might say to all the heroes who are beating up on a democratic country where there are gay pride parades . . . and Christmas celebrations - there aren't any in the surrounding countries - Â why don't they beat up on China when the Chinese president comes to Australia?" Mr Danby told Sky News.
"The oppression of the Tibetans or the Uighurs is far worse than what's happening to the Palestinians when some Israelis build houses 20 metres or 100 metres or a mile across the Green Line. Where is Bob Carr, Gareth Evans and Bob Hawke on the terrible things that are happening in Tibet?"
Mr Netanyahu's visit comes weeks after the Israeli Parliament, the Knesset, passed a controversial law retroactively legalising 4000 settlers' homes built on privately owned Palestinian land.
Mr Danby conceded the law was "silly", and Australia/Israel & Jewish Affairs Council Executive Director Colin Rubenstein said he fully expected the Israeli Supreme Court to strike down the law.
Dr Rubenstein said the position of Mr Rudd and the other Labor figures would "reward bad behaviour and reinforce Palestinian intransigence" in refusing to come to the negotiating table with Israel.
Mr Ryvchin said: "If Bob Hawke and Kevin Rudd are interested in bringing the Palestinians closer to statehood they should call out Palestinian corruption, violence and dependence on foreign aid and clearly state that the way to Palestinian statehood is through a return to negotiations without delay and without preconditions."