Australia cancels far-right Israeli lawmaker's visa

18/8/2025 19:02

Australia has cancelled the visa of an Israeli lawmaker from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's governing coalition who has advocated against Palestinian statehood and called for Israel to annex the occupied West Bank.



Simcha Rothman, a Knesset member from the Religious Zionism party led by far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, was scheduled to visit Sydney and Melbourne this month at the invitation of a local conservative Jewish organisation.



Australia is among countries set to recognise a Palestinian state next month, a decision that Rothman said would be a "grave mistake and a huge reward for Hamas and for terror".



In June, Australia, along with four other nations including Britain, sanctioned Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir over accusations of repeatedly inciting violence against Palestinians in the West Bank.