Australia barred far-right Religious Zionism MK Simcha Rothman from visiting the country for a series of appearances, Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said Monday, accusing the politician of intending to “spread division.”
Rothman, a far-right lawmaker, had been slated to make a series of appearances at Jewish schools and synagogues and meet with victims of a recent wave of antisemitic attacks, according to the Australian Jewish Association, which invited him and confirmed the cancellation.
“If you are coming to Australia to spread a message of hate and division, we don’t want you here,” Burke said. “Australia will be a country where everyone can be safe, and feel safe.”
As an automatic condition of the visa cancellation, Rothman is unable to travel to Australia for three years.
It was unclear which, if any, specific actions or comments by Rothman had triggered the move by Canberra.
However, in a statement, Rothman said the decision was “a surrender to terrorism and antisemitism that is rampant on the streets of Australia,” and had been made due to the Knesset’s vote last month to pass a motion in favor of annexing the West Bank, a symbolic move by the parliament that is non-binding.
He also said that he had been invited to speak as his views “reflect the mainstream of Israeli society: that Hamas has shown that Israel must defeat it, and that a Palestinian state poses a danger to the existence of the State of Israel.”
Rothman claimed in an interview with the Kan public broadcaster on Monday that the Australian government was “threatened by Islamist jihadists of what will happen if I am allowed to visit, and so instead of worrying about public order, instead of standing firm against terror, they surrendered to terror.”
According to the AJA, the visa was canceled hours before Rothman was slated to fly to Australia.
“This is a viciously antisemitic move from a government that is obsessed with targeting the Jewish community and Israel,” AJA head Robert Gregory said in a statement posted online by the group, which describes itself as a center-right organization.
Gregory said Jews should think twice before visiting Australia, claiming that increasing numbers of Australian Jews are looking into emigrating.
“Israel is fully justified in taking strong measures in response to this and we have briefed contacts in the Trump Administration who are also concerned about events in Australia,” he added.
There was no comment from Israel’s Foreign Ministry.
Far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir condemned the decision on X, calling it “a historical stain and a shame for the Australian government” and criticizing what he calls “the gloating cries of Israeli left-wing activists, the collaborators of Hamas, and those who defame Israel worldwide.”
Diaspora Affairs Minister Amichai Chikli, also in a post on X in English, argued that barring Rothman from entry is “a direct extension of [Australia’s] disgraceful choice to honor the rapists and murderers of Hamas,” reflecting “a broken moral compass, discrimination, and a grave assault on free speech.”
He warned that Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is “wrong to think appeasement of Islamist terror will advance Australia” and said such policies risk following “Britain’s disastrous path.” It was unclear exactly what Chikli was referring to with regards to the UK.
Rothman, who heads the Knesset’s Constitution, Law and Justice Committee, is seen as one of the main architects of the controversial overhaul of the judicial system being pushed by the Israeli government.
He is a member of Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich’s far-right Religious Zionism party. In June, Smotrich and Ben Gvir were both sanctioned by Australia, alongside the UK, Canada, New Zealand and Norway, for having “incited extremist violence” against Palestinians in the West Bank.
Smotrich openly calls for the resettlement of Gaza and said in May that Israel will not withdraw from the Strip even if there is another hostage deal, telling Israelis to embrace the word “occupation.”
Canberra has taken an increasingly critical stance toward Israel in recent weeks, including announcing plans to recognize a Palestinian state next month, alongside a number of other Western nations.
There are also tensions between the government and Australia’s Jewish community amid a wave of antisemitic attacks.
In June, Australia barred pro-Israel activist and influencer Hillel Fuld because his presence would constitute a risk to “health, safety or good order,” Burke’s office said at the time.
Last year, it blocked former justice minister Ayelet Shaked for similar reasons.
In July, Canberra canceled US rapper Kanye West’s visa over his song glorifying Nazi leader Adolf Hitler.
Ariela Karmel contributed to this report.