Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar announced his decision to revoke the residence permits of Australia’s representatives to the Palestinian Authority on Monday.
Sa'ar's announcement came shortly after Australia decided to deny MK Simcha Rothman of the Religious Zionist Party (RZP) entry into the country on Monday. Rothman had planned to go on a solidarity tour in support of the Australian Jewish community, amid the rise in antisemitic attacks.
Sa'ar also announced that he instructed Israel's embassy in Canberra to carefully review any official Australian visa requests for entry into Israel.
"At a time when antisemitism is spreading in Australia, including acts of violence against Jews and Jewish institutions, the Australian government chooses to fuel it instead with false accusations, claiming that visits by Israeli figures would disrupt public order and harm Australia’s Muslim population," Sa'ar stated.
Additional government ministers and politicians slammed Australia's decision to deny MK Simcha Rothman's entry into the country.
Minister of Aliyah and Integration Ofir Sofer, of the RZP party, slammed the decision, stating that “the Australian government shows leniency toward terror instead of standing firmly with justice and truth.
“While proclaiming a commitment to ‘fighting hatred and division,’ the facts tell a different story. An increase of several hundred percent in antisemitic incidents over the past year, including synagogue arsons and direct threats to Jewish lives. This is not merely hypocrisy. It is the abandonment of the Jewish community,” Sofer said.
Outrage over Australia's decision
Diaspora Affairs and Combating Antisemitism Minister Amichai Chikli said Australia’s decision reflects the "choice to honor the rapists and murderers of Hamas. It reflects a broken moral compass, discrimination, and a grave assault on free speech."
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who was sanctioned by the Australian government in June, alongside National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, also expressed support for Rothman.
Ben-Gvir called the decision "a historic stain and a disgrace for the Australian government.”
Smotrich wrote that “in the face of all the antisemites in the world, the people of Israel stand behind you and support you.”
Vladimir Beliak (Yesh Atid) criticized Smotrich in return, stating that “the people of Israel cannot stand Rothman” and do not support him.
“Contrary to Smotrich’s words, the people of Israel do not stand behind Rothman at all. The people of Israel cannot stand Rothman, and they really do not care whether Rothman — who is funded up to his neck with foreign money — enters Australia or not," Beliak stated.
“It is also important to make clear to the world that politicians like Rothman absolutely do not represent a Jewish and democratic Israel,” Beliak added.
Head of the Blue and White Party, MK Benny Gantz, affirmed his support for Rothman, despite their differing political views.
“MK Rothman & I have stark political and ideological differences - yet Australia’s decision to bar him from entry is not only deeply misguided, but blatantly hypocritical.”
“If only Australia fought the ravaging antisemitism targeting its Jewish communities with the same fervor it banned representatives from the one & only democracy in the Middle East,” he added.
Rothman’s visa approval was canceled less than 24 hours before his scheduled trip. The official document from the Australian government cited that the reasoning for barring his entry into the country was that Rothman’s opinions mirrored the policies of RZP that “include the elimination of Hamas," among others.
Australian foreign minister denounces Israeli statements as 'unjustified reaction'
Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong called Israel's decision an "unjustified reaction."
"At a time when dialogue and diplomacy are needed more than ever, the Netanyahu Government is isolating Israel and undermining international efforts towards peace and a two-state solution," Wong said in a statement.
Reuters contributed to this report.