Israeli Government member Simcha Rothman Visa Cancelled
Australia has cancelled a visa of a member of Israel’s Religious Zionist Party, Simcha Rothman, who was due to commence a tour of Australia this week.
Sanctions on Israel are one of the key demands of the Palestinian activists who will be marching in cities around Australia this Sunday and are seen as a way to apply pressure on Israel to end the war in Gaza.
To date, the Albanese government had only issued sanctions against two of the most controversial members of Israel’s government, Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich, in June this year. A visa had been refused to Kanye West by Minister Tony Burke recently as well.
In the wake of the Albanese’s recent announcement that it will recognise a Palestinian State at the UN General Assembly in September, the move to cancel Simcha Rothman’s visa could be seen as an increase in pressure on Israel to end the Gaza war.