The Israeli leader had said in a post on X: “History will remember Albanese for what he is: a weak politician who betrayed Israel and abandoned Australia’s Jews.”

France called Netanyahu’s allegation “abject and erroneous”. “This is a time for seriousness and responsibility, not for conflation and manipulation,” the French presidency added.

“I don’t take these things personally. I engage with people diplomatically. He has had similar things to say about other leaders.”

‘Strength not measured by how many you can blow up’

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

“I know the Israeli prime minister has had similar things to say about other global leaders with whom he has a disagreement,” O’Neil told Channel Seven.

Israel responded by revoking the visas of a trio of Australian representatives to the Palestinian Authority.

‘We’ve never felt abandoned’

“When allies speak, they should speak frankly, robustly but also in a dignified way. When I think firing off tweets which contain elements of abuse, I don’t think that’s the way to operate.”

Burke defends visa denial for Israeli politician

Senior Israeli politician Simcha Rothman was scheduled to appear at events in Melbourne and Sydney. Source: EPA / Abir Sultan

“The relationship with Israel now is at an all-time low, and that’s largely because of the Albanese foreign policy incompetence from this government,” he told ABC radio on Wednesday.