- Netanyahu accused Anthony Albanese of “betraying Israel” and “abandoning” Australia’s Jewish community.
- Australian Immigration Minister Tony Burke dismissed Netanyahu’s comments, saying the Israeli leader was “lashing out”
- The row comes just weeks after Australia formally recognised Palestine as a state
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has accused Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese of “betraying Israel” and “abandoning” Australia’s Jewish community, escalating tensions between the two countries following Canberra’s decision to recognise a Palestinian state.
In a sharp rebuke on Tuesday, Netanyahu said history would remember Albanese “for what he is: a weak politician.” The remarks came after Australia barred far-right Israeli politician Simcha Rothman, a member of Netanyahu’s coalition, from entering the country. In retaliation, Israel revoked visas of Australian representatives accredited to the Palestinian Authority.
Australian Immigration Minister Tony Burke dismissed Netanyahu’s comments, saying the Israeli leader was “lashing out” because of Australia’s foreign policy shift. “Strength is not measured by how many people you can blow up or how many people you can leave hungry,” Burke told ABC, underscoring Canberra’s decision to join the UK, France, and Canada in recognising Palestine.
Albanese sought to downplay the exchange, telling reporters: “I don’t take these things personally. I treat leaders of other countries with respect, I engage with them in a diplomatic way.”
Israel’s opposition leader Yair Lapid criticised Netanyahu’s outburst, calling it “a gift” to the Australian Prime Minister. “The thing that most strengthens a leader in the democratic world today is a confrontation with Netanyahu, the most politically toxic leader in the Western world,” Lapid posted on X.
The diplomatic flare-up began Monday when Australia cancelled Rothman’s visa, citing his record of “spreading division.” Burke said the government would take “a hard line” against figures bringing “hate and division” into Australia. The Australian Jewish Association (AJA), which had invited Rothman, said he would still address their event virtually.
Israel’s Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar ordered tighter scrutiny of Australian visa applications, accusing Canberra of fuelling antisemitism at a time when Jewish institutions in Australia have reported rising attacks.
The row comes just weeks after Australia formally recognised Palestine as a state, joining a growing list of Western governments. Albanese has accused Netanyahu of being “in denial” about the humanitarian toll of Israel’s military campaign in Gaza, where more than 62,000 people have been killed since October 7, according to figures from the Hamas-run health ministry.
Israel launched its offensive in Gaza after Hamas-led militants killed about 1,200 people and took 251 hostages in attacks on October 7.