Immigration Minister Tony Burke has been accused of ‘double standards’ after an elected Israeli politician had his visa revoked, while a controversial Muslim speaker who ‘celebrated’ the Hamas attacks of October 7 was allowed in to Australia.

On Monday, it emerged that Australia had revoked the visa of far-right Israeli politician Simcha Rothman over some of his provocative comments including describing children in Gaza as enemies.

Australia has also denied entry to former Israeli minister Ayelet Shaked, based on anti-Palestinian comments, and Israeli advocate Hillel Fuld. 

Canberra has further imposed sanctions on two far-right Israeli ministers, including travel bans. 

In response, Israel’s Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar said the visas of Australia’s representatives to the Palestinian Authority had been revoked.

He also instructed the Israel Embassy in Canberra to carefully examine any official Australian visa application for entry into Israel. 

The diplomatic tit-for-tat prompted Foreign Minister Penny Wong to accuse Benjamin Netanyahu of ‘isolating Israel’.

Mr Rothman’s visa was cancelled despite the Australian governemnt last year allowing controversial British commentator Sami Hamdi to conducted a speaking tour across the country. 

Immigration Minister Tony Burke (pictured with the Prime Minister) has been accused of ‘double standards’ after an elected Israeli politician had his visa revoked, while a controversial Muslim speaker who ‘celebrated’ the Hamas attacks of October 7 was allowed in to Australia 

Ten days after the October 7 Hamas attacks, which claimed the lives of 1,200 Israelis, Hamdi was filmed encouraging people to ‘celebrate the victory’ of the terrorist organisation.   

‘Celebrate the victory! Allah has shown the world that no normalisation can erase the Palestinian cause,’ Hamdi said ten days after the worst loss of life for Jews in a single day since the holocaust.

‘When everybody thought it was finished, it’s roaring! How many of you feel it in your hearts? When you go the news that it happened, how many of you felt the euphoria? Allahu Akbar! How many of you felt it?’

Before he came to Australia, Hamdi had been banned from speaking at two universities in Canada after his comments came to light. 

Shadow Minister for Home Affairs Andrew Hastie said it was ‘just the latest example of Tony Burke’s double standards when it comes to Australia’s immigration system’.

‘How can the Albanese Labor Government approve the visa of a Hamas supporter but deny entry to an elected politician of a friendly country?’, he told the Daily Mail. 

‘Tony Burke must come clean on the secret and arbitrary process that he applies to create these inconsistencies leading to a current Israeli politician having his visa cancelled a day before he is set to arrive in Australia.’

Meanwhile, British commentator Sami Hamdi (pictured) conducted a speaking tour across Australia last year, despite being filmed encouraging people to ‘celebrate the victory’ of the Hamas terror attacks on October 7 which claimed the lives of 1,200 Israelis

Mohammed Ghuloom (pictured) toured Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne in June this year where he gave talks , including one to primary school-age children. He has praised former Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah

It comes as a controversial Muslim speaker who praised former Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah was allowed to go on a speaking tour of Australia in June this year.

Mohammed Ghuloom recently toured Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne where he gave talks , including one to primary school-age children. 

This is despite the Zionist Federation of Australia (ZFA) writing to Burke and the Department of Home Affairs to warn them that Mr Ghuloom had expressed support online for listed terrorist organisation Hezbollah. 

‘Ghuloom has a record of support for Hezbollah – a listed terrorist organisation under the Australian Criminal Code,’ ZFA president Jeremy Liebler told The Australian. 

‘Ghuloom’s social media features video and images of him glorifying Hezbollah terrorist organisation leader Hassan Nasrallah, on stage in front of a large crowd, as well as uploading a post to his social media accounts eulogising the terrorist leader following his death.’

Mr Liebler told the Daily Mail on Tuesday that Mr Rothman, the Israeli politician who has had his visa revoked, held many views that are ‘highly offensive and do not reflect the values of the Australian Jewish community or the mainstream Israeli public’. 

‘It is one thing to disagree strongly with an elected representative of a democracy and ally, it is quite another to deny them entry on that basis,’ Mr Liebler added. 

‘Australia ought not set such a precedent.’

Israeli politician Simcha Rothman was denied entry to visit Australia for a speaking tour

Former Israeli minister Ayelet Shaked  was also denied entry to Australia

Senator Wong said the decision to revoke Australian visas in Israel was ‘unjustified’.

‘At a time when dialogue and diplomacy are needed more than ever, the Netanyahu government is isolating Israel and undermining international efforts towards peace and a two-state solution,’ Senator Wong said on Tuesday morning.

‘This is an unjustified reaction, following Australia’s decision to recognise Palestine.’

On Tuesday, Opposition Leader Sussan Ley demanded the Albanese government explain why the ‘very unusual’ decision was made to revoke Mr Rothamn’s visa.   

‘Israel is a Liberal democracy in the Middle East and we should be supporting them as that liberal democracy and the steps that the Albanese government has taken over recent days and weeks certainly have not demonstrated that,’ Ley said.

‘This is an elected member of the Israeli parliament and it’s a very unusual thing to refuse a visa and I haven’t seen explanations from Tony Burke that actually explain what is going on here.’

Mr Rothman had his visa revoked out of fear that his past comments might spark counter-protests among Australia’s Muslim community, according to a leaked Home Affairs document reported by The Australian.

‘I (the minister’s delegate) consider that the visa holder has the potential to use these events and other platforms while in Australia to continue to making inflammatory statements to promote his controversial views and ideologies, which may lead to fostering division in the community,’ the document stated.

‘The use of platforms for inflammatory rhetoric can lead to increased hate crimes, radicalisation of individuals and heightened tensions in communities. 

‘Specifically, I consider his presence in Australia would or might be a risk to the good order of the Australian community or a segment of the Australian community, namely the Islamic population.’

The document further warned that Mr Rothman’s entry into Australia might ‘encourage others to feel emboldened to voice any anti-Islamic sentiments’. 

A Department of Home Affairs spokesperson said it ‘does not comment on individual cases’.

‘All non-citizens who wish to travel to, enter, or remain in Australia must satisfy the requirements of the Migration Act 1958 (the Act) and the Migration Regulations 1994, including identity, health, character, and security requirements,’ the spokesperson added.

‘The Australian Government is committed to protecting the community from the risk of harm posed by non-citizens who engage in behaviour of concern.’

Burke, the Immigration Minister, has previously defended the cancelling of Mr Rothman’s visa, claiming Australia would not accept people who sow hatred.

‘Our government takes a hard line on people who seek to come to our country and spread division,’ Burke said.

‘If you are coming to Australia to spread a message of hate and division, we don’t want you here.

‘Under our government, Australia will be a country where everyone can be safe, and feel safe.’

Earlier this month, Burker told Nine Newspapers that he ‘could not care less about the freedom of speech argument if I’m in the business of stopping hatred from being imported to Australia’.