TONY Abbott has lashed out at the government for flinching in its support of Israel, using his first major speech of the campaign to pledge fidelity to the Jewish state.

Addressing an Australia-Israel Chamber of Commerce lunch in Melbourne, Mr Abbott drew applause when he signalled that the Coalition would ''never support a one-sided UN resolution against Israel to curry favour with an anti-Israel authority''.

He also suggested the government overreacted in its response to the Israeli Defence Force's attack on an aid flotilla that killed nine activists.

"Of course the Israeli government does from time to time make mistakes," Mr Abbott said. "What government doesn't from time to time make mistakes?

"But Australians should appreciate that a diminished Israel diminishes the West; it diminishes us. And I have to say that I am a little disappointed that given the deep affinity between the Australian people and the Israeli people that the current Australian government has somewhat weakened our longstanding bipartisanship on Israel.

"I want to reiterate here today the Coalition's unshakeable commitment to Israel's security. I want to assure you that a Coalition government would never support a one-sided UN resolution against Israel to curry favour with an anti-Israel majority.

"And we would never overreact to any international incidents because we appreciate that Israel is under existential threat in a way that no other country in the world is."

Both Prime Minister Julia Gillard and her predecessor Kevin Rudd have been rusted-on supporters of Israel. However, Mr Rudd made his annoyance clear when the Israeli secret service was accused of stealing Australian passports, saying it was not the act of a friend.

Original Source - http://www.theage.com.au/federal-election/loyal-to-israel-despite-killings-20100719-10hud.html