SYDNEY: Australia has issued a sharp rebuke to Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu following his description of the Australian prime minister as weak. The diplomatic clash emerged after Canberra’s decision to recognise Palestinian statehood last week.
Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke responded directly to Netanyahu’s comments on Wednesday. Burke stated that strength is not measured by how many people you can blow up or how many children you can leave hungry.
He characterized Netanyahu’s outburst as the sign of a frustrated leader lashing out. The minister further noted that Israel’s actions continue to isolate the country from the international community.
Netanyahu’s criticism came via social media platform X on Tuesday night. He called Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese a weak politician who betrayed Israel and abandoned Australia’s Jews.
The relationship between the two historically allied nations has deteriorated rapidly. Australia’s announcement to recognize Palestinian statehood follows similar moves by France, Canada and the United Kingdom.
Diplomatic tensions escalated further this week with visa cancellations. Australia revoked the visa of far-right Israeli politician Simcha Rothman, a member of Netanyahu’s coalition government.
Israel retaliated by revoking visas for Australian diplomatic representatives to the Palestinian Authority. These developments occurred within a nine-day period following Australia’s statehood decision.
Australia has long considered itself a close friend of Israel since the 1950s. The country served as a refuge for Jews fleeing the horrors of the Holocaust during that period.
Melbourne once housed the largest per capita population of Holocaust survivors outside Israel. This historical context makes the current diplomatic rift particularly significant.
The ongoing conflict in Gaza has increased Israel’s international isolation. UN-backed experts warn of widespread famine in the territory due to restricted humanitarian aid.
New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon recently stated that Netanyahu had lost the plot. Relations between Australia and Israel began fraying late last year following anti-Semitic attacks in Sydney and Melbourne.
Netanyahu previously accused Australia of harboring anti-Israel sentiment after a synagogue firebombing in December. The current exchange represents the most serious diplomatic confrontation between the two nations in recent history. – AFP