Israel Cancels Australian Officials' Visas in Retaliation
(MENAFN) Israel has rescinded the visas of Australian officials assigned to the Palestinian Authority, escalating diplomatic tensions following Canberra's revocation of an Israeli lawmaker’s visa, officials confirmed Monday.
In a post on X, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar stated he had notified the Australian ambassador of the decision and directed Israel’s embassy in Canberra to "carefully examine any official Australian visa application for entry to Israel."
The move, Sa’ar said, was a direct response to Australia's recent action against Simcha Rothman, a member of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s right-wing coalition and a prominent figure in the pro-settler Religious Zionism party. Rothman chairs the Knesset’s judicial committee and was scheduled to travel to Australia as a guest of the Australian Jewish Association.
According to Rothman, his visa was revoked just one day before his planned departure, during which he intended to meet with members of the Jewish community.
Australia’s Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke defended the cancellation, stating: "a message of hate and division ... Australia will be a country where everyone can be safe, and feel safe."
Sa’ar linked the retaliatory step not only to Rothman’s case but also to Australia’s broader policy shifts, including its September recognition of Palestinian statehood and a previous visa cancellation for former Israeli Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked.
The diplomatic flare-up marks the latest fallout from Israel’s ongoing military campaign in the Gaza Strip, which began in October 2023. The offensive has devastated the coastal enclave, resulted in widespread famine, and left at least 61,944 people dead.
In June, Australia, alongside Britain, Canada, New Zealand, and Norway, imposed sanctions on far-right Israeli ministers Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben-Gvir for allegedly "inciting extremist violence" against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank.
Australia operates a Representative Office in Ramallah, which serves a quasi-diplomatic role but falls short of full embassy status, consistent with Canberra’s ongoing refusal to formally recognize Palestinian sovereignty.
Legal Disclaimer:
EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
