‘Surrender to terror’: Australia bans Israeli Knesset member for 3 years, hours before planned visit

Australia’s Interior Minister Tony Burke has canceled the visa of Knesset Member Simcha Rothman of the right-wing Religious Zionism Party, imposing a three-year ban and vowing to uphold an Australia “where everyone can be safe, and feel safe.”

The decision caused a storm of outrage across Israel’s political landscape, as the visit followed similar bans of Israeli politicians in Australia and came just hours before Rothman was set to arrive in Australia for events with the local Jewish community.

Burke explained the ban by saying, “If you are coming to Australia to spread a message of hate and division, we don't want you here.”

“Our government takes a hard line on people who seek to come to our country and spread division,” he added.

Rothman heads the Israeli Parliament’s Constitution, Law and Justice Committee, and had gained considerable publicity as one of the heads of the planned government's judicial reforms before the war.

Since then, he has largely kept out of the public eye, only occasionally speaking about the war while expressing hawkish views.

Australian officials said the ban on Rothman was due to opposition to the creation of a Palestinian state, calls for annexing Judea and Samaria, statements asserting that “Hamas must be destroyed,” and concerns about Australia's Muslim community.

Rothman, in a statement, called the decision to ban him a “surrender to terrorism and to the antisemitism that is raging in the streets of Australia.”

He said he had been invited by the Jewish community for a solidarity visit “due to antisemitic attacks” and its “deep sense… of alienation and hostility,” and applied for a visa through standard diplomatic channels.

Rothman defended his calls for the destruction of Hamas and against the creation of a Palestinian state as reflecting “the mainstream of Israeli society,” noting that a call for Israeli sovereignty over Judea and Samaria received the support of a majority in the Israeli Knesset only recently.

“Therefore, this is not a decision that concerns me personally, but one whose meaning is a surrender to terrorism,” Rothman said.

“The State of Israel must teach the entire world, including the Australian government, how to fight terrorism and not surrender to it – because surrendering to terrorism leads to more terrorism.”

“In the decision to deny the visa, the Australian Minister of the Interior claims that my presence and my words will have a serious impact on peace and law and order in Australia – meaning that the Islamist mob calling for the destruction of Israel in the streets of Sydney and Melbourne will not be pleased with my presence,” he added.

MK Rothman & I have stark political and ideological differences - yet Australia’s decision to bar him from entry is not only deeply misguided, but blatantly hypocritical.

If only Australia fought the ravaging antisemitism targeting its Jewish communities with the same fervor it… pic.twitter.com/8zQQSFD6tA

— בני גנץ - Benny Gantz (@gantzbe) August 18, 2025

Rothman received public support not just from his colleagues in the coalition but also from opposition leader Benny Gantz, who noted he had “stark political and ideological differences” with the lawmaker.

“Yet Australia’s decision to bar him from entry is not only deeply misguided, but blatantly hypocritical. If only Australia fought the ravaging antisemitism targeting its Jewish communities with the same fervor it banned representatives from the one & only democracy in the Middle East,” Gantz wrote on 𝕏.

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, chairman of Religious Zionism party, addressed Rothman on 𝕏, “Simcha, in the face of all the antisemites in the world, the people of Israel stand behind you and support you.”

National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir called the ban “a historical stain and a shame for the Australian government,” warning that Australia would be “wrong to think appeasement of Islamist terror will advance” the country.

In June, Australia –along with Canada and the United Kingdom – sanctioned Smotrich and Ben Gvir for allegedly “incit[ing] extremist violence and serious abuses of Palestinian human rights.”

Diaspora Minister Amichai Chikli wrote on X that “the Albanese government’s decision to bar MK Rothman (and previously former minister Shaked) from visiting Australia is a direct extension of his disgraceful choice to honor the rapists and murderers of Hamas.”

“It reflects a broken moral compass, discrimination, and a grave assault on free speech. Albanese is wrong to think appeasement of Islamist terror will advance Australia. Australians will soon see that a government promoting silencing, discrimination, and antisemitism is leading their country down Britain’s disastrous path,” he added.