Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop made waves during a visit to Israel this week.

She told the Times of Israel that, in her view, the settlements may not be illegal under international law and that the world should refrain from making that argument while the peace process is under way.

She said: “I would like to see which international law has declared settlements illegal.” She said that she did not want to “prejudge the fundamental issues in the peace negotiations”, adding: “The issue of settlements is absolutely fundamental to the negotiations and I think it’s appropriate that we give those negotiations every chance of succeeding.”

In November, Australia was one of only eight countries to abstain in a vote on a UN resolution demanding that Israel cease “all Israeli settlement activities”.