Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke has responded to Benjamin Netanyahu’s comments calling the Australian Government “weak” on social media after the cancellation of visas to Israeli politicians and the announcement of Australia’s intentions to recognise Palestine as a state.

In an interview with ABC radio this morning, Tony Burke responded to Netanyahu’s attack and said that “strength is not measured by how many people you can blow up or how many children you can leave hungry.”

Netanyahu’s criticism of Burke came after Australian Home Affairs decided to cancel the visa of far-right Israeli politician Simcha Rothman. His visa was cancelled due to the comments he made, which framed Palestinian children as the enemy. Rothman said to the UK’s Channel 4 that Palestinians are “not dying of hunger”.

Burke explained that the reason for cancelling the visas was due to previous comments that did not align with Australia’s humanitarian beliefs.

“One of them has described Palestinian children as the enemy and the other has described Palestinian children as ‘little snakes’.”

Burke stood firm on his decision to cancel Rothman’s visa for a speaking tour, saying it was consistent with past refusals of visas for others with the opposite view in terms of conflict, but an identical view in terms of their willingness to dehumanise other people.

After the decision was made, Netanyahu said that Prime Minister Albanese was a “weak politician who betrayed Israel and abandoned Australia’s Jews”. The Israeli Prime Minister then cancelled visas to Australians in the West Bank.

Burke defended Anthony Albanese’s decision to recognise a Palestinian state after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused the Australian Prime Minister of betraying Israel.

Sky News reported that Netanyahu sent a letter to leaders, which said that recognising Palestinian statehood is appeasing Hamas and rewarding terror. Burke said he hadn’t seen the letter but defended the decision to cancel the visas of former Israeli Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked and Israeli politician Simcha Rothman.

“Strength is much better measured by exactly what Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has done, which is when there’s a decision that we know Israel won’t like, he goes straight to Benjamin Netanyahu,” Burke said.

During the interview, Burke also said that this is another example of Netanyahu lashing out at countries that are coming out and recognising Palestine, as he has done with France, the UK and Canada.

According to Burke, Albanese has stated that hostages need to be released and has not compromised his view that Hamas is a terrorist organisation that must play no role in a future Palestinian state. He said that the Palestinian people must be feeling invisible, and it is to Albanese’s credit that he has recognised them and will take action.

When questioned about Australia’s relationship with Israel, which was criticised by Opposition Leader Susan Ley, Burke said that the atrocities that were carried out on October 7 were “disgraceful” and “disgusting”, but none of that was the fault of starving Palestinian children.

Burke also said that no one should ever sacrifice their principles of humanity when they give way to their rage.