Australia’s government has rejected Benjamin Netanyahu’s incendiary criticism and accused some Israeli politicians of “bigoted” views about Palestinians as the extraordinary political fight between the two nations turns uglier.
The home affairs minister, Tony Burke – whose refusal of a travel visa for the far-right Knesset member Simcha Rothman stoked criticism from Jerusalem – backed in his decision and criticised the Israeli prime minister over the war in Gaza, where tens of thousands of Palestinian civilians have been killed in Israel’s military and bombing campaign.
“Strength is not measured by how many people you can blow up or how many children you can leave hungry,” Burke told Radio National on Wednesday.
“Strength is much better measured by exactly what prime minister Anthony Albanese has done, which is when there’s a decision that we know Israel won’t like, he goes straight to Benjamin Netanyahu.”
Burke’s comments came the morning after Netanyahu escalated the standoff with Australia and condemned Albanese. On X, Netanyahu’s office wrote: “History will remember Albanese for what he is: A weak politician who betrayed Israel and abandoned Australia’s Jews.”
On Wednesday afternoon, Albanese said he wouldn’t take Netanyahu’s comments personally.
“We had a long discussion prior to the cabinet meeting which was held last Monday morning. At that time, I gave prime minister Netanyahu a clear indication of my view and Australia’s view going forward … I gave him the opportunity to outline what political solution there was,” he told reporters.
“I don’t take these things personally. I engage with people diplomatically, he [Netanyahu] has had similar things to say about other leaders.”
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Netanyahu also wrote a letter to Albanese on Monday, accusing the prime minister of pouring “fuel on this antisemitic fire”, and condemning Australia’s recognition of Palestine – which he called “appeasement”. The letter was shared on social media by the Australian Jewish Association, a rightwing group which had organised Rothman’s planned speaking tour.
Netanyahu’s letter claimed there was “Jew-hatred now stalking [Australian] streets”.
It marks a major ratcheting up of tensions between the two countries, after a tit-for-tat sparked by Australia’s pledge to recognise a Palestinian state. Burke’s department this week cancelled Rothman’s visa because of his past comments calling children in Gaza the “enemies” of Israel. Israel then revoked the visas of Australian representatives to the Palestinian Authority.
Burke confirmed to ABC radio that the decision to cancel Rothman’s visa was in response to his comments about children and aimed to protect Palestinian and Muslim Australians, not because of his calls for the destruction of Hamas – as has been alleged by some conservative media outlets.
“If anyone wanted to come on a public speech tour, and they had those views publicly expressed about Israeli children, I would block the visa,” Burke said.
“I am going to not have a lower bar for the protection of views that are bigoted views against the Palestinian people.”
A fellow minister, Clare O’Neil, called Netanyahu’s comments “disappointing”.
“I think Benjamin Netanyahu is in a bit of a habit of making [such comments],” she said. “This type of diplomacy doesn’t work and that’s why Australia doesn’t engage with it.
“Our prime minister does us very proud on a global stage. He does it by being respectful. He does it by holding a strong position for our country. We determine our national interest and that is how we’re approaching the conflict in the Middle East.”
The opposition has accused the government of damaging the relationship with Israel, describing it as at an all-time low.
The shadow home affairs minister, Andrew Hastie, criticised Labor’s decision to revoke the visa and said while he did not agree with all of Rothman’s views, the government should not have refused the visa of a Knesset member.
“The government’s failed to recognise what this cancellation would mean,” he told ABC radio. “This wasn’t just any old visa.”
The Liberal backbencher Jane Hume called Burke’s comments “incendiary” and “outrageous”.
“You can understand why [Netanyahu] would feel betrayed by Australia and by Anthony Albanese,” she said.
