Israel’s Foreign Minister has revoked the visas of Australian representatives to the Palestinian Authority, in response to the Albanese government’s decision to recognise Palestinian statehood.

In a post on social media, Gideon Sa’ar said the decision was also taken in response to the refusal by the Australian government to grant visas to high profile Israelis, including politician Simcha Rothman.

Australia will recognise Palestine at UN meeting in September

Australia will move to recognise a state of Palestine at the next United Nations General Assembly next month, with a condition that terror group Hamas play no role in its future governance.

Mr Sa’ar said with antisemitism on the rise, the Australian government is fuelling the crisis with false accusations.

He says Australia’s ambassador to Israel has been notified.

The ABC understands the decision may only affect two staff.

Ms Bethany Randell, a career officer with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), is the current representative to the Occupied Palestinian Territories.

A woman standing next to the Australian flag and a man who's standing next to the Palestinian flag

Ms Bethany Randell standing with Palestinian Monetary Authority Governor Mr Yahya Shunnar. (Facebook/Australian Representative Office, Ramallah)

Last week, Australia announced it will move to recognise a state of Palestine at the United Nations General Assembly in September after France, the United Kingdom and Canada made similar pledges. 

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said this was on the condition that terror group Hamas play no role in its future governance.

“Australia will recognise the state of Palestine. Australia will recognise the right of the Palestinian people to a state of their own, predicated on the commitments Australia has received from the Palestinian Authority,” Mr Albanese said.

“A two-state solution is humanity’s best hope to break the cycle of violence in the Middle East and to bring an end to the conflict, suffering and starvation in Gaza.”

The visa of Mr Rothman, a member of Israel’s far right Mafdal-Religious Zionism party, was cancelled earlier on Monday just days before he was due to arrive in Australia for a speaking event.

Mr Rothman, whose party is part of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s governing coalition, has previously advocated for the expulsion of Palestinians from Gaza, and denied claims of starvation in the territory.