Australian Prime Minister Relaxed Response Accused Netanyahu Weak And Betrayed Israel For Admitting Palestine

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese / PHOTO via Instagram @albomp

JAKARTA - Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese responded casually to the sharp criticism of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for his decision to recognize the Palestinian state. Albanese insists he treats the leaders of other countries with respect.

"I don't consider it something personal, I interact with people diplomatically. He has also said the same thing about other leaders," Albanese told a news conference.

Netanyahu's personal attack on Albanese, who described it as "weak politics", further worsened relations between the two countries.

Australian Interior Minister Tony Burke told ABC national television station on Wednesday the power was not measured by how many people could be killed or how many children you could leave starving."

"The strength is much better measured by what Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has done, namely when there is a decision that we know Israel will not like, he immediately meets Benjamin Netanyahu," he said.

Relations between the two countries have deteriorated since Australia decided to conditionally recognize the Palestinian state at the UN General Assembly in September.

"History will remember what Albanese is: A weak politician who betrayed Israel and abandoned Australian Jews," Netanyahu said in a post on X on Tuesday.

Albanese told reporters he had informed Netanyahu of Australia's decision to support the Palestinian state before its centre-left government officially announced the plan.

"At that time, I gave Prime Minister Netanyahu clear indications of my views and Australia's future views, but also clear indications of the direction we are aiming for," Albanese said.

"I gave him the opportunity to outline what political solutions he had and give him that opportunity," he continued.

Israel this week revoked the visa of Australian diplomats for the Palestinian Authority after the Albanese Labor government canceled the visa of an Israeli lawmaker for a statement deemed controversial and provocative by the Australian government.