April 27, 2026
World
World
WASHINGTON, April 27 — A man accused of targeting US administration officials at a Washington event has been arrested after allegedly opening fire, injuring a Secret Service agent.
SYDNEY, Aug 18 — Australia has revoked the visa of Simcha Rothman, an Israeli lawmaker from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition who has publicly opposed Palestinian statehood and supported Israel’s annexation of the occupied West Bank.
Rothman, a member of the Religious Zionism party led by far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, was due to visit Sydney and Melbourne this month at the invitation of a local conservative Jewish organisation.
Australia is expected to recognise a Palestinian state next month — a move Rothman described as a “grave mistake” and a “huge reward for Hamas and terror”.
In June, Australia and four other countries, including Britain, imposed sanctions on Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir over allegations they incited violence against Palestinians in the West Bank.
Rothman said he was notified that his visa had been cancelled because the Australian government deemed some of his comments controversial and inflammatory, such as his claim that Palestinian statehood would mean the destruction of Israel and his call for the extension of Israeli sovereignty over the West Bank.
“Nothing I said personally hasn’t already been expressed repeatedly by most of the public in Israel and by the Israeli government,” he told Reuters by phone.
Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said in a statement that Australia takes a firm stance against individuals who seek to sow division in the country, and that anyone coming to spread hate or discord is not welcome. He did not give specific reasons for the visa cancellation.
The Home Affairs Ministry declined to comment further.
Rothman, who heads a parliamentary committee on judicial matters, was invited by the Australian Jewish Association (AJA) to meet members of the Jewish community. AJA Chief Executive Robert Gregory said the visit was meant to show support for Australia’s Jewish community amid a rising wave of antisemitism, and that Rothman planned to meet with victims of antisemitic abuse. — Reuters
