2 days ago
Israeli MP Simcha Rothman denied visa to visit Australia
Australia has cancelled the visa of a far-right Israeli MP after accusing him of seeking to "spread division" in the country.
Simcha Rothman, an MP for the Mafdal–Religious Zionism party and chair of the Israeli parliament's constitution committee, was set to speak at events in Australia, including one hosted by the Australian Jewish Association.
Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said his government took "a hard line on people who seek to come to our country and spread division".
"If you are coming to Australia to spread a message of hate and division, we don't want you here," he said.
"Under our government, Australia will be a country where everyone can be safe, and feel safe."
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Rothman will be banned from travel to Australia for three years.
The politician has previously advocated expelling Palestinians from the Gaza Strip and denied that famine was taking place in the besieged enclave.
Rothman later took to social media to denounce the Australian government's move, branding it "viciously antisemitic".
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The move against the Israeli politician is the first major action against a member of Israel's Knesset since Australia announced last week it would recognise a Palestinian state at next month's United Nations meeting.
Australia joined a number of other countries in June in sanctioning Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, another member of the Mafdal–Religious Zionism party, over his comments inciting violence in the occupied West Bank.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese told reporters last week that Australia's decision to recognise Palestinian statehood would be formalised at the United Nations General Assembly in September.
He said that it was "predicated on commitments" that Australia had received from the Palestinian Authority.
Those include demilitarisation of the Gaza Strip, no role for Hamas in a future Palestinian government and the holding of elections in the state of Palestine.
