Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese responded calmly on Wednesday to harsh remarks from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who accused him of betraying Israel over Canberra’s decision to recognize a Palestinian state.
“I don’t take these things personally; I engage with people diplomatically. He has made similar comments about other leaders,” Albanese told reporters on August 20 during a press conference.
Netanyahu’s personal attacks have further strained already tense relations between the two countries. The rift deepened last week after Australia announced it would recognize a Palestinian state at the upcoming United Nations General Assembly in September.
On Tuesday, Netanyahu wrote on X: “History will remember Albanese for what he is: a weak politician who betrayed Israel and abandoned Australia’s Jewish community.”
Albanese clarified that he had personally informed Netanyahu in advance of Australia’s position before the official public announcement.
“At that time, I gave Prime Minister Netanyahu clear indications of what Australia’s future stance would be, as well as the direction we were taking,” he said, adding: “I gave him the opportunity to outline what political solutions he saw possible for this issue.”
Several other countries, including France, the United Kingdom, and Canada, have also announced plans to recognize a Palestinian state.
Earlier this week, Israel revoked visas for Australian diplomats stationed in the Palestinian Authority, following Australia’s cancellation of a visa for an Israeli lawmaker whose statements Canberra considered provocative and inflammatory.
Israel continues to face growing international pressure over its ongoing military offensive in Gaza, which has killed more than 62,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza health authorities, and left the territory’s population in the grip of a severe humanitarian crisis.
The war in Gaza began after Hamas, a group designated as a terrorist organization by the United States and the European Union, carried out a deadly attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, killing nearly 1,200 people and kidnapping 251 others.
