Tony Burke, Australia’s Home Affairs Minister, has hit back at Israel’s Benjamin Netanyahu after he launched a blistering attack on Australian Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese on social media.
Burke’s remarks came after the Israeli Prime Minister on Tuesday, August 19, 2025, called his Australian counterpart a “weak politician who betrayed Israel and abandoned Australia’s Jews.”
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.
The Australian Home Affairs Minister, whose refusal of a travel visa for the far-right Knesset member Simcha Rothman stoked criticism from Jerusalem, backed in his decision and criticised Netanyahu over the war in Gaza, where tens of thousands of Palestinian civilians have been killed in Israel’s military and bombing campaign.
Burke told Radio National on Wednesday, August 20, 2025, that strength is not measured by “how many people you can blow up or how many children you can leave hungry.”
“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.
“He has the conversation, he says exactly what we’re intending to do, and has the chance for the objections to be made person to person. And then having heard them, makes public announcement and then does what needs to be done.”
Tony Burke
The diplomatic spat erupted after the Australian government, which plans to recognise Palestinian statehood, cancelled the visa of Israeli politician Simcha Rothman, whose ultranationalist party is in Netanyahu’s governing coalition, on Monday, August 18, 2025.
Rothman had been scheduled to speak at events organised by the Australian Jewish Association.
Hours later, Israel’s Foreign Minister, Gideon Saar, said that he had revoked the visas of Australia’s representatives to the Palestinian Authority.
“I also instructed the Israeli Embassy in Canberra to carefully examine any official Australian visa application for entry to Israel.
“This follows Australia’s decisions to recognise a ‘Palestinian state’ and against the backdrop of Australia’s unjustified refusal to grant visas to a number of Israeli figures.”
Gideon Saar
Netanyahu also wrote a letter to Albanese on Monday, accusing the Australian 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.
Separately, Burke confirmed to a radio channel 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.
“I am going to not have a lower bar for the protection of views that are bigoted views against the Palestinian people.”
Tony Burke
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]. 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.”
Clare O’Neil
Australia’s Premier Brushes Off Netanyahu’s Comments
Meanwhile, Albanese brushed off the comments on Wednesday, telling reporters at a briefing, “I don’t take these things 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.”
Anthony Albanese
He noted that he engages with people diplomatically, adding that Netanyahu “has had similar things to say about other leaders.”
