A Federal Labor backbencher has launched a public attack on Foreign Minister Bob Carr, accusing him of orchestrating a rebellion against Prime Minister Julia Gillard over a United Nations vote.

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In a newspaper opinion piece, Michael Danby criticised Senator Carr for lobbying against Ms Gillard's decision to vote against Palestine's bid for observer status at the UN.

Ms Gillard eventually agreed that Australia would abstain from the vote - despite her personal preference - after several senior ministers voiced their opposition to her position.

Mr Danby has described Senator Carr's actions in lobbying colleagues as "unacceptable" and "unforgivable".

"It is unacceptable in a cabinet for a minister to act - to use Gough Whitlam's immortal description - like Tiberius on the telephone, organising numbers against his or her leader," Mr Danby wrote.

"Phoning around, then speaking on the matter and ultimately threatening to speak against the Prime Minister is unforgivable behaviour for any minister in any cabinet government."

In 1971 Gough Whitlam described Billy McMahon, who was campaigning against then prime minister John Gorton, as "Tiberius with a telephone" who "sat there on the Isle of Capri plotting (Gorton's) destruction".

The reference was to the Roman emperor Tiberius, who retired to the island of Capri in AD26, and to Mr McMahon's presence in Capri, on Queensland's Gold Coast, as he sought the Liberal leadership in 1971.

'Absolutely wrong'

But Senator Carr has this morning defended his actions, saying Mr Danby's accusations against him are "absolutely wrong".

"I made very few phone calls. Tiberius with his telephone on the Isle of Capri was much more active," he told AM.

"Michael is simply wrong when he attributes to me that sort of active engagement.

"I thought it was extremely important that Australia abstain on this vote instead of voting with a tiny minority of nations, failing to send a message to Israel about the spread of settlements and the awesome consequences that has got for negotiating a two state solution."

Mr Danby, who is the Member for Melbourne Ports and Chairman of Parliament's Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade, is a passionate supporter of Israel.

In a recent interview with the Australian Jewish News, he also pointed the finger at other senior ministers for the Government's decision to abstain from the UN vote.

"The Jewish community should be particularly disappointed with ministers [Simon] Crean and Stephen Smith, who did not support the Prime Minister on the pro-Israel position at this crucial juncture," he said.

Mr Danby says "domestic motivations" were behind the Government's ultimate decision, because of a "self-defeating" belief that voters in western Sydney would be influenced by the issue.

But he says there are far more serious issues in the minds of New South Wales voters.

"Corruption at the heart of both the Left and Right of NSW Labor and the clear lack of infrastructure, particularly in western Sydney, are the real turn-off in Sydney seats," Mr Danby wrote.

'Labor Zionist'

Fellow Labor backbencher Ed Husic, who represents the western Sydney electorate of Chifley, says he is disappointed that Mr Danby has publicly criticised his colleagues.

"There are decisions that get made from time to time within government (where) you have your say and it may not necessarily work out the way that you want," Mr Husic told Sky News.

"I don't think its right to ventilate those views in the way that has happened in the last 24 hours.

"I mean does this mean it's open season for any minister that takes a decision that you don't like? I just don't think it's right."

Senator Carr has described Mr Danby as a "Labor Zionist" who needs to understand that the majority of his Caucus colleagues disagree with his position.

"I understand... his passionate position on Israel and the Middle East. But he's got to understand this: the vast majority of this colleagues, like the vast majority of the Australian people, take a different view."

"And that is you will only have peace in the region if you have a two-state solution and that is being rendered very difficult by the spread of (Israeli) settlements," he said.

Israel announced a new settlement plan shortly after the UN General Assembly upgraded the Palestinian Authority's status in the world body from "observer entity" to "non-member state".

The result of the UN vote was 138 in favour and nine against, with 41 countries - including Australia - abstaining.