Prime Minister Anthony Albanese stresses ‘respect' for world leaders after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu calls him weak
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has declared he treats leaders of other countries with respect, after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called him 'weak'.
The Israel-Australia relationship has fallen to pieces in the weeks since the Albanese government decided to recognise Palestinian statehood ahead of a peace deal.
This led Mr Netanyahu to calling Mr Albanese 'weak' and accusing him of abandoning Jewish Australians.
Mr Albanese has downplayed personal offence, noting that Mr Netanyahu has made similar remarks about other leaders.
'I treat leaders of other countries with respect and I engage with them in a diplomatic way,' he told reporters at a press conference on Wednesday.
'I don't take these things personally… I engage with people diplomatically. He (Mr Netanyahu) has had similar things to say about other leaders.
'What I say is that Israel, of course, increasingly, there is global concern because people want to see an end to the cycle of violence that we have seen for far too long.' — Prime Minister of Israel (@IsraeliPM) August 19, 2025
The remarks were made after Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke made extraordinary comments about Mr Netanyahu, saying he conflated strength with violence.
'Strength is not measured by how many people you can blow up, or how many children you can leave hungry,' Mr Burke told ABC RN on Wednesday.
'Strength is much better measured by exactly what prime minister Anthony Albanese has done.'
The Albanese government recently cancelled the visa of Israeli MP Simcha Rothman over concerns his presence could spark counter-protests in Australia.
Israel then revoked visas of Australian diplomats to the Palestinian Authority in a move which Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong said was 'unjustified'.
Mr Netanyahu further escalated the row in a letter to Mr Albanese, accusing Australia of 'pouring fuel on this antisemitic fire', urging action against antisemitism.
'It is not diplomacy, it is appeasement… antisemitism is a cancer. It spreads when leaders stay silent. It retreats when leaders act,' Mr Netanyahu said in the letter.
It was an unprecedented letter from the highest level of the Israeli government to Australia, which has in the past been a strong ally of the democratic Jewish nation.
Mr Netanyahu outlined several recent incidents of antisemitism that have plagued the Australian Jewish community.
'In June, vandals defaced a historic Melbourne synagogue with graffiti praising Iran and calling to 'Free Palestine',' Mr Netanyahu wrote.
'In July, arsonists targeted the East Melbourne Hebrew Congregation during Shabbat dinner, forcing twenty worshippers to flee for their lives.'
Mr Netanyahu ended his personally-signed letter with a final comment that said: 'History will not forgive hesitation. It will honour action.'
The letter comes after escalating diplomatic tensions between the Albanese government and Israel.
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