The Australian government has denied entry to far-right Israeli politician Simcha Rothman, who was scheduled to embark on a “solidarity tour” in Sydney and Melbourne.
Rothman, a member of the Knesset for the far-right party Religious Zionism, has been a vocal critic of a two-state solution and has supported Donald Trump’s proposal to remove Palestinians from Gaza, citing security concerns for Israel.
Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke confirmed that Rothman’s visa application had been rejected, stating that the government takes a firm stance against individuals who seek to spread division in Australia.
“If you’re coming to Australia to spread a message of hate and division, we don’t want you here,” Burke said. “Under our government, Australia will be a country where everyone can be safe and feel safe.”
Rothman responded to the decision by accusing the Albanese government of “clear and blatant antisemitism” in a post on social media platform X. He claimed that the government’s decision was not directed at him but rather at the Jewish community in Australia, the state of Israel, and the people of Israel.
“The state of Israel learned the hard price of surrendering to terrorism on October 7th – the Australian government has not yet learned that lesson and the price to be paid for it will be heavy,” Rothman wrote.
The events that Rothman was scheduled to attend were organized by the Australian Jewish Association (AJA), which described the tour as a “solidarity tour to show support for Australia’s Jewish community”.
The AJA’s chief executive, Robert Gregory, said that the organization believes in giving the Jewish community the opportunity to hear from Israeli and Australian decision-makers across the political spectrum.
Rothman has been a prominent figure in Israeli politics, known for his extreme views on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
In a May interview with Channel 4, he claimed that children in Gaza were “enemies” who should not be allowed to flee into Israel, stating that “you don’t let them conquer your country with refugees”.
He also initiated a symbolic motion to “apply” Israel’s sovereignty to the occupied West Bank territory, which passed 71-13.
Rothman is also the architect of a bill to formally change all references to the West Bank in legislation to the preferred historical Israeli name, Judea and Samaria.
The progressive Jewish Council of Australia expressed deep concern over Rothman’s planned visit, stating that it was part of an effort to encourage support for the Israeli government.
The council’s spokesperson, Bart Shteinman, said that Rothman’s visit was a reminder of how shallow and incomplete Australia’s response to the Israeli government has been.
This decision is consistent with the Australian government’s previous actions, having barred other personalities and politicians with a history of controversial or offensive statements, including rapper Kanye West and former Israeli minister Ayelet Shaked.
Burke emphasized that Australia will remain a country where everyone can feel safe and protected.