Bob Carr’s interviews on Wednesday on the ABC's 7.30 and Lateline, spruiking the publication of his The Diary of a Foreign Minister, make various claims about what he refers to as the Melbourne "Israel lobby" exercising extraordinary influence over the office of prime minister Julia Gillard.

Referring to a meeting in April 2013, Carr says that I adopted a "how-dare-you" tone. For a former foreign minister to characterise a normal, cordial and frank exchange as potentially intimidatory is not only inaccurate but a little bizarre.

Strangely enough, he said nothing at the time or in the following months that would indicate that I had earned his displeasure. Perhaps Carr has a problem with anyone disagreeing with him: Such extraordinary thin skin has Carr. Such a delicate disposition from a man who sees himself as an energetic "gladiator" and describes himself as the "best chairman" he knows, is surprising.

Carr has now publicly criticised the approach of what he calls the “Israel lobby” in its dealings with government. At the breakfast that followed my April 2013 meeting with Carr, where I hosted more than 40 Jewish community leaders, Carr openly praised the manner and tone in which views were exchanged and described them as a model of effective engagement with government.

Carr now claims he was frustrated that he couldn't express his concern about Israeli settlements. Nevertheless, he managed to do so at every opportunity, loudly and clearly. What he is really upset about is that his view did not always prevail. The person he needed to convince was the prime minister. Much to his chagrin, the prime minister exercised independent judgment in relation to this as well as all other issues.