Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu launched a scathing attack on Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, calling him “a weak politician who betrayed Israel and abandoned Australia’s Jews” following Canberra’s decision to recognize a Palestinian state and ban a prominent Israeli lawmaker from entering the country.
“History will remember Albanese for what he is: A weak politician who betrayed Israel and abandoned Australia’s Jews,” Netanyahu wrote Tuesday on X.
Netanyahu’s criticism came one day after Australia’s Interior Minister Tony Burke revoked the visa of Knesset member Simcha Rothman just hours before his scheduled departure for Australia. As chairman of the Knesset’s Constitution, Law and Justice Committee, Rothman had been invited by the Australian Jewish Association to speak at Jewish schools and synagogues and meet with victims of recent antisemitic attacks.
“If you are coming to Australia to spread a message of hate and division, we don’t want you here,” Burke said when announcing the visa cancellation. “Under our government, Australia will be a country where everyone can be safe, and feel safe.”
Rothman’s visa, which had been approved approximately two weeks earlier, was banned for three years. Burke cited the lawmaker’s statements opposing a Palestinian state and calling for the elimination of Hamas as grounds for the decision.
“The Australian government, sadly, has chosen to yield to terror. Yielding to terror doesn’t bring peace; it only whets their appetite,” Rothman responded. “Israel learned this lesson on October 7 at a heavy cost and, sadly, Australia and its Jewish community are already experiencing the harsh price of this surrender.”
Israel swiftly retaliated Monday with Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar announcing the immediate revocation of residence permits for Australian representatives to the Palestinian Authority operating in Israel.
“I decided to revoke the visas of Australian representatives to the Palestinian Authority. The Australian Ambassador to Israel was just notified on the matter,” Sa’ar posted on X.
“I also instructed the Israeli Embassy in Canberra to carefully examine any official Australian visa application for entry to Israel,” Sa’ar added, warning of additional measures to come.
The diplomatic crisis stems from Australia’s announcement last Monday that it will formally recognize a Palestinian state along with Britain, France and Canada at the United Nations General Assembly in September. At the time Netanyahu slammed the “shameful” position being taken to appease Hamas.
However, pressure is building on Australia’s prime minister to reverse his decision after Hamas co-founder Hassan Yousef publicly thanked the government for showing “political courage” and credited the October 7 massacre with forcing the world to pay attention.
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