Australia Responds to Netanyahu: “Strength Is Not Measured by How Many You Bomb or How Many Children You Starve”

Australia launched what local media described as a “fierce attack” on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday, after he accused Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese of weakness and of betraying Israel.

In response, Australian Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke told ABC News:

“Strength is not measured by how many people you can bomb, or how many children you can leave to starve. True strength is what Albanese demonstrated when he made a decision he knew Israel would not like, and confronted Netanyahu directly with Australia’s position.”

Australia Blocks Israeli Extremist

Earlier this week, Australia cancelled the visa of extremist Knesset member Simcha Rothman, a leading figure in Netanyahu’s far-right Religious Zionism Party. Canberra explained that Rothman’s visit could fuel division and hate speech within Australian society.

Israel retaliated by revoking visas for Australian diplomats accredited to the Palestinian Authority — a move sharply condemned by Canberra. Within hours, Netanyahu accused Albanese of being “a weak politician who betrayed Israel and abandoned Australia’s Jews.”

According to the Canberra Post, Rothman had planned to deliver lectures in Australia but was barred after making inflammatory statements denying that children in Gaza were starving, despite overwhelming international evidence. He referred to them instead as “enemies of Israel.”

Burke responded bluntly:

“If you are coming to Australia to spread hatred and division, we do not want you here. Our government takes a firm stand against those who try to enter our country to promote division. Australia will remain a nation where everyone can live safely.”

Rothman is notorious for pushing annexation of the occupied West Bank, opposing the establishment of a Palestinian state, and defending the mass displacement of Palestinians from Gaza — acts clearly prohibited under international law.

Strained Relations After Recognition of Palestine

Relations between Canberra and Tel Aviv have sharply deteriorated since Australia announced last week that it would formally recognise the State of Palestine at the upcoming UN General Assembly in September.

This came on the heels of France’s own clash with Netanyahu. French President Emmanuel Macron was denounced by Netanyahu as “despicable” for supporting recognition of Palestine. The Élysée Palace fired back, declaring that Netanyahu’s comments were “full of falsehoods” and stressing that France would “always protect its Jewish citizens” — but would not allow Israel to twist recognition of Palestine into accusations of antisemitism.

Israel Drifting Into Isolation

Israel’s increasing hostility toward countries recognising Palestine highlights its growing international isolation.

A recent analysis in Bloomberg by columnist Mark Champion painted a bleak future for Israel, noting how Netanyahu — already facing an ICC arrest warrant — has responded to months of global outrage over the Gaza war with only “more war.”

The article argued that this strategy has transformed Israel’s position from a brief moment of “international sympathy” after October 7 into a state of sharp political and moral isolation.