Australia-Israel Relations Strained After Heated Exchange Between Foreign Ministers

Penny Wong and Gideon Sa’ar clash over Gaza humanitarian crisis, UN votes, and visa denial for Israeli politician.

Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong and Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar engaged in a tense phone call, with disagreements over Gaza humanitarian aid and Australia’s recent UN voting record.
Wong criticized Israel for insufficient humanitarian assistance to Gaza, while Sa’ar accused Australia of distancing itself from Israel during a critical year of conflict with Hamas.
The exchange followed Australia’s recent UN votes, including support for a resolution urging Israel to withdraw from occupied territories, breaking a two-decade precedent.
Sa’ar raised objections to Wong’s speech comparing Israel’s adherence to international law with that of Russia and China, which Wong clarified was not a moral equivalence but a call for universal compliance with international law.
The Israeli government also expressed anger over Australia’s denial of a visa to former Israeli minister Ayelet Shaked, citing concerns over her divisive rhetoric about Palestinians.