Israel's Netanyahu says 'weak' Australian PM abandoned Jewish community

[Desmond Milligan 0]

JERUSALEM (Reuters) -Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Tuesday his Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese had forsaken Australia's Jewish community and betrayed Israel, a remark that may further strain diplomatic ties tested by the war in Gaza.

Netanyahu's comment followed Israel's revocation of the visas of Australian diplomats to the Palestinian Authority on Monday, after a decision by Canberra to recognise a Palestinian state and cancel the visa of an Israeli lawmaker.

"History will remember Albanese for what he is: A weak politician who betrayed Israel and abandoned Australia's Jews," Netanyahu said on the official prime minister's X account in English.

The Israeli lawmaker had been due to meet with Australia's Jewish community, which has faced a sharp rise in antisemitic attacks since the beginning of Israel's war with Palestinian militant group Hamas in Gaza, almost two years ago.

Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong on Monday called Israel's visa revocation counter-step an "unjustified reaction" and said Netanyahu's government was increasing Israel's diplomatic isolation.

Israel has been facing mounting international pressure over the toll its military offensive has taken on the civilian population in the shattered Gaza Strip.

Albanese said on August 12 that Netanyahu was "in denial" about the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

Albanese made his remark a day after announcing Australia may recognise a Palestinian state at the United Nations general Assembly in September, following France, Britain and Canada.

Netanyahu has said this would serve as a reward for Hamas' October 7 2023 attack on Israel, which triggered the Gaza war.

(Reporting by Maayan Lubell, Editing by William Maclean)

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