Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese of "betraying Israel" and "abandoning" Australia's Jewish community, as tensions between the two nations continued to rise. Netanyahu criticized Albanese, calling him a "weak politician" after Australia blocked a far-right member of Netanyahu's coalition, Simcha Rothman, from entering the country. In retaliation, Israel revoked the visas of Australian officials to the Palestinian Authority.
Australia's Immigration Minister, Tony Burke, responded by saying Netanyahu was reacting to Australia’s recent decision to join the UK, France, and Canada in recognizing Palestine as a state. "Strength isn't measured by how much destruction you cause," Burke stated, defending the decision. Albanese later downplayed the remarks, saying he didn’t take them personally and would continue to engage diplomatically with world leaders.
Israel's opposition leader, Yair Lapid, criticized Netanyahu, suggesting that his comments were actually a "gift" to Albanese, making him more popular among global leaders. "Confronting Netanyahu strengthens any leader in the democratic world," Lapid wrote on social media.
The diplomatic tensions flared after Rothman’s visa was canceled just ahead of his planned visit to Australia, where he was scheduled to speak at events organized by the Australian Jewish Association (AJA). Burke made it clear that Australia wouldn’t allow anyone promoting hate or division to enter the country.
This isn’t the first time Australian officials have blocked controversial Israeli politicians. Last year, Australia denied a visa to former Israeli justice minister Ayelet Shaked, known for her far-right views. In response to the Rothman visa cancellation, Israel’s Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar stated that they would now "carefully examine" Australian visa applications for entry into Israel, accusing the Australian government of fueling antisemitism.
In recent months, there have been several antisemitic incidents in Australia, which is home to a large Jewish community, including many Holocaust survivors. Meanwhile, the AJA responded to the visa ban by announcing Rothman would still participate in their event virtually, and they made it clear they wouldn’t back down in their support for Israel.
The tension intensified after Australia’s official announcement in August recognizing a Palestinian state. Albanese explained that Netanyahu was in "denial" about the human cost of the ongoing conflict, especially the loss of innocent lives due to the disruption of aid. Over 60,000 people have died in the ongoing Israeli military operation, which began after a Hamas-led attack on October 7 that killed over 1,200 people and resulted in more than 250 hostages being taken.
Netanyahu, in response, accused the leaders of the UK, France, and Canada of siding with "mass murderers" in a harsh condemnation of their stance.
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