Australian news and politics live: Burke hits back after Netanyahu accuses Australia of appeasing Hamas
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Key Events
Disgraced former Labor MP Eddie Obeid walks free from jail
Disgraced former Labor MP Eddie Obeid has walked free from jail on parole after he was found guilty misconduct while in public office.
Obeid was pictured being escorted from jail under a white umbrella on Wednesday morning, after almost four years behind bars.
He will spend the remainder of his seven-year sentence in the community under supervision.
Obeid was once considered a major powerbroker with in the NSW Labor Party, but was expelled in 2013.
Jewish leaders urge ‘calm heads’ as Israel–Australia row deepens
The Executive Council of Australian Jewry has called for restraint amid an escalating diplomatic row between Australia and Israel, warning that a tit-for-tat approach could damage decades of cooperation.
Tensions have flared after the Albanese government cancelled the visa of Israeli MP Simcha Rothman, prompting the Netanyahu government to revoke visas for Australian diplomats in the Palestinian territories.
The Council’s co-chief executive Alex Ryvchin urged both governments not to jeopardise hard‑won ties across trade, security and science.
“Allies with extensive economic, scientific and cultural ties should not be engaging in a diplomatic tit-for-tat that erodes the goodwill and cooperation built up over decades,” Executive Council of Australian Jewry co-chief executive Alex Ryvchin said.
“Calm heads need to take control of the situation otherwise there will be a risk to some $2 billion dollars in bilateral trade, extensive investment in Australian start-ups, vital security cooperation and the Israeli-made medicine and medical technology that we all rely on.
“There are real-life consequences here and we want to see the countries work through any issues before things get out of hand.”
Burke joins Labor’s attack on Israeli PM: ‘It’s a lashing out’
Mr Netanyahu escalated tensions after Australia cancelled the visa of far‑right Israeli MP Simcha Rothman, branding Prime Minister Anthony Albanese “weak” and retaliating by stripping visas from Australian diplomats in the West Bank.
“It’s a lashing out,” Mr Burke told ABC Radio National.
“Strength is not measured by how many people you can blow up or how many children you can leave hungry.”
He said Mr Albanese had shown strength by personally calling the Israeli leader before announcing Australia would support Palestinian statehood at the UN, hearing him out, and then standing firm on the decision.
The war of words comes as Mr Netanyahu sent letters to world leaders, including Mr Albanese, warning that recognising Palestine amounted to “appeasement” and risked emboldening Hamas.
McKenzie blames Albanese for Israel spat after Netanyahu’s ‘weak’ swipe
The Israeli leader lashed out at Mr Albanese on X overnight, accusing him of betrayal after Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke cancelled the visa of Israeli MP Simcha Rothman, who was due to visit Australia on a speaking tour.
Senator McKenzie instead directed her frustration at the Albanese government, saying the diplomatic row was the result of poor decision‑making in Canberra.
“Our government decided to cancel the visas of an elected Israel member of parliament and so obviously Israel has reacted to that,” she told Sunrise on Wednesday morning.
“We need to make sure that our country remembers that Israel has been a very good friend to Australia … so I think it’s a really disappointing turn of affairs and the responsibility for it lays at the prime minister’s feet.”
PM meets Macron, Starmer after Ukraine peace talks at White House
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has met with leaders overnight at the Coalition of the Willing.
It comes after US President Donald Trump metwith European Leaders and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in an effort to stop the Russian-Ukraine confllict.
”Australia continues to stand with Ukraine. Tonight, I took part in another meeting of the Coalition of the Willing hosted by Keir Starmer, alongside President Emmanuel Macron, Friedrich Merz, Giorgia Meloni, and other democratic leaders,” he said on X.
“Australia welcomes ongoing efforts towards achieving a just and enduring peace, including yesterday’s discussions in Washington.”
Trump rules out sending troops to Ukraine
US President Donald Trump says he hopes Russian President Vladimir Putin will move forward on ending the war in Ukraine but concedes that the Kremlin leader may not want to make a deal at all, adding this would create a “rough situation” for Mr Putin.
In an interview with Fox News, Mr Trump said he expected that Mr Putin’s course of action would become clear in the next couple of weeks.
Mr Trump also again ruled out US boots on the ground in Ukraine and gave no specifics about the security guarantees he has previously said his country could offer Ukraine under any post-war settlement.
“I don’t think it’s going to be a problem (reaching a peace deal), to be honest with you. I think Putin is tired of it. I think they’re all tired of it but you never know,” Mr Trump said.
Ley: Albanese left Israel ties ‘in tatters’ after visa storm
Opposition Leader Sussan Ley is blaming Anthony Albanese for what she called a collapse in relations with Isarel, after Benjamin Netanyahu blasted the Prime Minister.
Israel’s Foreign Minister released a statement saying the Australian government is fuelling anti-semitism.
The fallout began after the Federal Government revoked the visa of Israeli MP Simcha Rothman, prompting Israel to retaliate by cancelling visas for Australian officials to the Palestinian Authority.
“Regardless of which party is in power, the Prime Minister of Australia deserves respect. But respect is a two-way street,” Ms Ley said.
“Anthony Albanese has mismanaged international relationships to the point where he now finds himself at the centre of a troubling diplomatic incident.
“This is a direct consequence of bad decisions he and his government have taken that do not advance Australia’s interests.
“It is up to Anthony Albanese to explain how he is going to repair this relationship which is now in tatters as a result of his failures of leadership.”
