Australia lashes Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu after he said the country’s prime minister was weak, with top officials firing back at the Israeli premier who’s leading the genocidal war on Gaza for nearly two years.
Ties between Australia and the Zionist entity has swiftly unraveled since Canberra announced last week it would recognize a Palestinian state.
Netanyahu drastically escalated a war of words on Tuesday night, calling his Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese a “weak politician who betrayed Israel.”
Australian Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said Wednesday it’s the sign of a frustrated leader “lashing out.”
“Strength is not measured by how many people you can blow up or how many children you can leave hungry,” Burke told national broadcaster ABC.
“Strength is not measured by how many people you can blow up or how many children you can leave hungry.”
Tony Burke, Australia’s home affairs minister, has hit back at Israel amid an escalating war of words between the two gov’ts.
🔴 LIVE updates: https://t.co/QKYdZIjjUh pic.twitter.com/Fp8bXVaqkx
— Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) August 20, 2025
“I Don’t Take These Things Personally”
For his part, Albanese downplayed Netanyahu’s criticism, saying he doesn’t take “these things personally.”
“I don’t take these things personally. I engage with people diplomatically. He has had similar things to say about other leaders,” Albanese said during a media briefing on Wednesday.

He told reporters that he had informed Netanyahu about Australia’s decision to support a Palestinian state before his center-left government formally announced the plan.
“At that time, I gave Prime Minister Netanyahu a clear indication of my view and Australia’s view going forward but also a clear indication of the direction in which we were headed,” Albanese says.
“I gave him the opportunity to outline what political solution there was and gave him that opportunity.”
Earlier this week, the Zionist entity revoked the visas of Australian diplomats to the Palestinian Authority after Canberra cancelled the visa of a far-right Israeli lawmaker over remarks the Australian government considered controversial and inflammatory.
Source: Israeli media (edited by Al-Manar)