Australia's Albanese downplays Netanyahu's criticism as ties sour

By Renju Jose and Alasdair Pal

SYDNEY (Reuters) -Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Wednesday played down Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu's pointed condemnation of his decision to recognise a Palestinian state, saying he treated the leaders of other countries with respect.

"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.

Netanyahu's personal attack on Albanese, describing him as a "weak politician", has further strained relations between the two countries.

Australia's Minister for Home Affairs Tony Burke told national broadcaster ABC earlier on Wednesday that strength was "not measured by how many people you can blow up or how many children you can leave hungry.

"Strength is much better measured by exactly what Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has done, which is when there's a decision that we know Israel won't like, he goes straight to Benjamin Netanyahu."

Ties have soured since Australia decided last week to conditionally recognise a Palestinian state at the UN General Assembly in September.

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

Albanese told reporters that he had informed Netanyahu about Australia's decision to support a Palestinian state before his centre-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 said.

"I gave him the opportunity to outline what political solution there was and gave him that opportunity."

Israel this week revoked the visas of Australian diplomats to the Palestinian Authority after Albanese's Labor government cancelled the visa of an Israeli lawmaker over remarks the Australian government considered controversial and inflammatory.

Israel has been facing increasing international pressure over its military offensive in the Gaza Strip that has killed thousands of civilians and plunged Gaza into a humanitarian crisis, displacing most of its population.

The offensive began nearly two years ago after Hamas-led militants stormed into southern Israel, killing 1,200 people and taking 251 more hostage.

(Reporting by Renju Jose and Alasdair Pal in Sydney; Editing by Kate Mayberry)

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