CANBERRA : Australia has pushed back sharply against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu amid a spiralling diplomatic clash over Gaza and Canberra’s decision to support Palestinian statehood at the United Nations.
Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke responded to Netanyahu’s attack on Prime Minister Anthony Albanese—whom the Israeli leader branded “weak”—with an unusually blunt retort. “Strength is not measured by how many people you can blow up, or how many children you can leave hungry,” Burke said, underscoring Australia’s criticism of Israel’s military campaign in Gaza.
The war of words comes after Australia confirmed it would vote in favour of conditional recognition of a Palestinian state at the UN General Assembly next month. The announcement was coupled with Canberra’s cancellation of a visa for far-right Israeli lawmaker Simcha Rothman, a move that infuriated Tel Aviv. In retaliation, Israel revoked visas for Australian diplomats accredited to the Palestinian Authority.
Despite the escalating rhetoric, Australian officials defended Albanese’s handling of the dispute, noting he had spoken directly with Netanyahu in recent days. Burke insisted that Australia’s approach reflects principled diplomacy: maintaining dialogue while opposing actions that deepen suffering in Gaza.
The clash marks one of the sharpest downturns in Australia–Israel relations in recent years, with the Gaza conflict continuing to reverberate far beyond the region.