Israel and Australia are locked in their worst diplomatic crisis in years as both countries take action against each other’s officials. The dispute reached new levels after Australia decided to recognize a Palestinian state and banned an Israeli politician from visiting.
The crisis started when Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced that Australia will recognize a Palestinian state at the United Nations General Assembly in September. This follows similar moves by the UK, France, and Canada. Australia also canceled the visa of Israeli politician Simcha Rothman, who was supposed to visit the country.
According to Fox News, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu responded with harsh words on Tuesday. He said “History will remember Albanese for what he is: A weak politician who betrayed Israel and abandoned Australia’s Jews.” This attack came as the diplomatic fight between the two countries got worse.
Israel fights back with visa bans and strong words
Israel quickly hit back at Australia’s decisions. Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar canceled the visas of Australian diplomats who work with the Palestinian Authority. He also told Israel’s embassy in Canberra to carefully check any visa requests from Australian officials.
Sa’ar accused the Australian government of making antisemitism worse. He said while antisemitism is growing in Australia, including violence against Jews, the Australian government is making it worse by falsely claiming that visits by Israeli officials would hurt public order.
— Raylan Givens (@JewishWarrior13) August 19, 2025
Prime Minister Netanyahu attacks the Prime Minister of Australia: “History will remember Albanese for what he is: A weak politician who betrayed Israel and abandoned Australia's Jews.” pic.twitter.com/ndqbbtGyJA
The Israeli politician whose visa was canceled, Simcha Rothman, is a member of the far-right Religious Zionist Party. He was supposed to speak at events organized by the Australian Jewish Association to show support for Australia’s Jewish community. However, recent political tensions between world leaders have created similar diplomatic problems in other countries.
Rothman’s visa was canceled just hours before he was supposed to leave for Australia. As part of the cancellation, he cannot travel to Australia for three years. Australian Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said the government takes a hard line against people who come to spread division.
Antisemitism rises sharply in Australia
The diplomatic fight is happening while antisemitism in Australia has reached very high levels. According to the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, there were more than 2,000 antisemitic incidents between October 2023 and September 2024. This is a 316 percent increase compared to the year before.
The surge started after Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, 2023. In the two months after that attack, antisemitic incidents increased by 738 percent compared to 2022. The incidents include physical attacks, verbal abuse, and vandalism of Jewish homes and businesses.
Some Jewish Australians say they no longer feel safe wearing anything that shows they are Jewish in public. Jewish students don’t feel safe on university campuses. Some Jewish schools have advised students not to wear school uniforms on public transport. This situation reflects broader challenges that political leaders around the world are facing when dealing with complex international issues.
Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong said Israel’s decision to cancel visas was unjustified. She said Netanyahu’s government is isolating Israel and undermining international efforts toward peace. Opposition politicians said Australia’s relationship with Israel is now at its worst point ever.
Netanyahu’s personal attack on Albanese represents one of the harshest public criticisms ever made by an Israeli leader against an Australian prime minister, showing how serious this diplomatic crisis has become.
