The Israeli government announced Monday that it was expelling Australia’s diplomatic representatives to the Palestinian Authority, who live in Israel, in response to Australia’s ban on a visit by an Israeli politician.
As Breitbart News reported, Australia decided to revoke the visa of Simcha Rothman, a senior right-wing member of the Israeli Knesset, who was due to visit as a show of solidarity with the local Jewish community.
Rothman’s views are conservative, but well within the mainstream of Israeli politics. The Australian government cited his support for winning the war, his belief in exerting Israeli sovereignty over disputed territories, and his refusal to accept Israeli blame for the war as reasons for refusing to let him visit. All of these views are widely held in Israel, prompting even the Israeli opposition to condemn Australia’s actions.
Israel will retaliate by effectively expelling Australia’s representatives to the Palestinians, and instituting a more careful review of every Australian visitor to Israel, according to Amit Segal of Israel’s Channel 12.
Israel is also considering closing the Jerusalem consular offices of several countries that, like Australia, have decided to recognize Palestinian statehood despite Hamas’s refusal to release its remaining Israeli hostages.
Australian prime minister Anthony Albanese and his Labor government have adopted an increasingly hostile approach toward Israel, under pressure from new Muslim immigrant communities and far-left wing groups.
Meanwhile, Jewish communities have suffered a series of antisemitic attacks, including the firebombing of a synagogue in Melbourne during prayers, which forced the worshippers inside to flee for their own safety.
Joel B. Pollak is Senior Editor-at-Large at Breitbart News and the host of Breitbart News Sunday on Sirius XM Patriot on Sunday evenings from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. ET (4 p.m. to 7 p.m. PT). He is the author of The Zionist Conspiracy Wants You, now available on Amazon. He is a winner of the 2018 Robert Novak Journalism Alumni Fellowship. Follow him on Twitter at @joelpollak.
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