Israeli Foreign Minister Revokes Visas of Australian Diplomats After Canberra Bans Lawmaker’s Visit

Latest Developments

Australian Diplomats See Visas Revoked: Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar announced the revocation of the residency visas of Australia’s representatives to the Palestinian Authority on August 18 after Canberra banned the visa of Israeli Knesset member Simcha Rothman one day earlier. “At a time when antisemitism in Australia is rampant and includes acts of violence against Jews and Jewish institutions, the Australian government chooses to fuel it,” Sa’ar said. Sa’ar added that he had “instructed the Israeli Embassy in Canberra to carefully examine any official Australian visa application for the entry to Israel.”
Netanyahu Lambasts Australian Prime Minister: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sent a scathing letter to Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese following the diplomatic spat, accusing him of failing to address the rising tide of violent antisemitism in his country following the Hamas-led October 7, 2023, atrocities. “Antisemitism is a cancer,” Netanyahu said, calling on Albanese “to replace weakness with action, appeasement with resolve, and to do so by a clear date: the Jewish New Year, September 23, 2025.” Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong called Israel’s decision to revoke the visas of Australian diplomats an “unjustified reaction,” adding that “at a time when dialogue and diplomacy are needed more than ever, the Netanyahu Government is isolating Israel and undermining international efforts toward peace and a two-state solution.”
Antisemitism In Australia Since October 7: Netanyahu’s letter cited several recent antisemitic events in Australia, including the defacing of the Melbourne Hebrew Congregation with antisemitic graffiti, which has occurred on five separate occasions since March; a July 5 arson attack against East Melbourne Hebrew Congregation, which forced the congregants to flee the building during Shabbat services; and the storming of an Israeli-owned restaurant that same night, during which rioters threw chairs, tomatoes, and glasses while harassing Israeli chef Eyal Shani. “It is definitely getting worse for Jews [in Australia],” said Alex Ryvchin, the co-CEO of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry (ECAJ), adding that increased policing measures to combat the wave of antisemitic violence in the country “haven’t been working.” The ECAJ recorded a 316 percent increase in antisemitic acts between October 7, 2023, and September 20, 2024.

FDD Expert Response

“If Australia wishes its interventions in a region on the other side of the world to appear remotely credible, then Albanese needs to get his own house in order first. His government’s response to the wave of hatred targeting Australian Jews — arson attacks on synagogues, vandalism, and many instances of physical violence — has been spineless. The Canberra government’s embrace of the Hamas agenda and its indulgence of antisemitic protests calling for Israel’s destruction is the real problem here.” — Ben Cohen, Senior Analyst and Rapid Response Director

“The recent diplomatic incident between Israel and Australia illustrates a fundamental difference between the two governments. An Israeli official was banned for advocating for the defeat of Hamas. Australia has designated Hamas under its criminal code for terrorism. The action by Australia is in opposition to its own policy and represents a move to isolate and demonize Israeli voices.” — Tyler Stapleton, Director of Government Relations, FDD Action