Former prime minister Scott Morrison ‘thankful’ for opportunity to join Boris Johnson on solidarity visit to Israel

Scott Morrison and former British prime minister Boris Johnson have made a historic wartime visit to Israel in an effort to show solidarity with the Jewish state in its war against Hamas.

Mr Morrison touched down at Ben Gurion International Airport on Sunday (local time) alongside Mr Johnson.

They were described as “true friends of Israel” by the country’s former ambassador to the UN Danny Danon, who greeted them on arrival.  

“On behalf of all the people of Israel, we thank you for your steadfast support,” Mr Danon posted to X, formerly known as Twitter.

The pair spent the day meeting British-Israeli reservists at the Lone Soldier Centre in Jerusalem.

They then travelled to southern Israel where their toured communities and local Kibbutz’s attacked by Hamas militants on October 7.

The terror group launched a large-scale attack on the Jewish state from the land, sea and sky four weeks ago, kidnapping and killing 1,400 Israeli civilians.

The former leaders are also expected to tour the IDF situation room and attend a meeting with President Isaac Herzog during the visit.

Mr Morrison said he was “thankful” for the opportunity to make the trip.

“I am thankful for the opportunity to join former Prime Minister Johnson to come to Israel as a demonstration of solidarity with the people and State of Israel and the Jewish community throughout the world,” he said on Sunday.

“It is an opportunity to understand first hand what is occurring on the ground, honour those who have been lost, show support to those who have suffered and are now engaged in this terrible conflict and discuss how to move forward.”

Mr Morrison has been vocal in his support for Israel since Hamas’ October 7 attack and while serving as prime minister.

He joined with five former prime ministers to denounce antisemitism as a “tenaciously evil race hatred” in a landmark public letter issued in October.

The Cook MP later described Hamas’ attacks on Israel as “pure evil” in an op-ed published in The Australian.

“The unprovoked terrorist attack by Iranian-backed Hamas was pure evil, inflicting atrocities on innocent Israeli infants, children, women, young people and the elderly,” he wrote.

Mr Morrison is the first Australian politician to visit Israel since the fighting broke out.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has been under pressure from the opposition to make the trip to Tel Aviv in order to show support for the Jewish state.