Netanyahu Accuses Australia of 'Betraying' Israel

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu launched a sharp rebuke at Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, accusing him of being weak and “betraying Israel” over Canberra’s decision to recognize Palestinian statehood.

In a post on X, Netanyahu stated that Albanese will be remembered for abandoning both Israel and Australia’s Jewish community—a striking escalation in diplomatic rhetoric. 

This exchange follows Australia’s announcement that it would join allies like the UK, France, and Canada in formally recognizing a Palestinian state at the upcoming UN General Assembly. The move, seen as an attempt to reinvigorate the two-state solution amid the Gaza conflict, has deepened tensions with Israel. 

The spat intensified after Australia rejected a visa for far-left Israeli lawmaker Simcha Rothman, whom Canberra deemed likely to spread division. In response, Israel revoked visas issued to Australian representatives to the Palestinian Authority. 

Australia, however, remained poised—Prime Minister Albanese brushed off Netanyahu’s comments, stating he didn’t take them personally and remained open to diplomatic engagement. Meanwhile, Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke fired back, arguing that true strength isn’t judged by “how many people you can blow up or how many children you can leave hungry.” 

The harsh public exchange has drawn criticism from Jewish community leaders. The Executive Council of Australian Jewry (ECAJ) condemned the inflammatory rhetoric, calling on both governments to return to diplomacy. They warned that such confrontations unnecessarily endanger Jewish Australians and feed into antisemitic narratives.

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