Growing Diplomatic Rift
On Tuesday, Netanyahu called Albanese "a weak politician", and that is how history will remember him. The development followed Australia's barring of a far-right member of Netanyahu's ruling coalition from entering the country. In response, Israel revoked the visas of Australian representatives to the Palestinian Authority.
Reacting to an announcement that expression of interest for the homes in the east Jerusalem settlement of Ramat Shlomo would be opened, Australian Immigration Minister Tony Burke said Netanyahu was getting "ugly" after Canberra decided to move in line with the UK, France, and Canada in recognising a Palestinian state. Strength is not defined by how many people you can blow up or how many people you can leave hungry."
Responses from Leaders
Albanese later told reporters that he doesn't "take these things personally," and he communicates with world leaders in a respectful and diplomatic way. Meanwhile, Israel's opposition leader Yair Lapid attacked Netanyahu's comments as nothing more than a "gift" to the Australian premier. He also claimed that Labour "shot at us" because confronting Netanyahu was helping those standing up for democracy, such as the Australian Labour leader, Anthony Albanese.
