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In a move that has ignited debate, the Australian government recently revoked the travel visa of Sammy Yahood, a Jewish influencer known for his controversial remarks against Islam. This decision has sparked criticism from those who perceive it as part of a broader trend of silencing pro-Israel advocates.
In an Instagram post, Yahood claimed the Australian government “called up the UAE,” to be sure that he could not board a plane to Melbourne.
Yahood had planned his journey through the United Arab Emirates mere days before a devastating terrorist attack on Bondi Beach claimed the lives of 15 individuals gathered for a Hannukah celebration. In the wake of this tragedy, he expressed his intent to visit in hopes of uplifting the Jewish community, aiming to offer a glimmer of optimism during such a dark time.
As mourners gathered at a flower memorial near the Bondi Pavilion in Sydney, Rabbi Yossi Friedman addressed the crowd, reflecting on the recent events that have shaken the local community. This scene underscored the somber atmosphere following the attack. (Photo by Mark Baker/AP)
Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke justified the visa cancellation, stating, “spreading hatred is not a good reason to come” to the country, as reported by The Guardian. Yahood’s online presence has been marked by his contentious calls for banning Islam, arguing that tolerance should not extend to those who, he claims, do not reciprocate it.
Avi Yemini, a prominent journalist with Rebel News Online in Australia, expressed his concerns to Fox News Digital, contending that Yahood is merely the latest in a series of Jewish individuals denied entry into Australia. Yemini claims the government’s actions are more about appeasing a particular voting demographic than addressing any genuine security concerns.
Yemini claimed that “only one Islamist extremist has been stopped under this government. In the aftermath of the Bondi terror attack, that imbalance tells you everything you need to know about their priorities.”
The Australian government blocked the visa of Lebanese preacher Hussain Makke in March 2025, according to the Herald Sun. Makke had planned to speak during Ramadan in Melbourne and Sydney. His visa was canceled after he attended the funeral of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, whom he described as the “greatest freedom fighter.”
Fox News Digital also found that in Aug. 2025, the government blocked travel for a Palestinian cookbook author who openly expressed support for Hamas’ Oct. 7 massacre, the Sydney Morning Herald said. SBS reported that a 61-year-old Palestinian woman had her visa canceled while in Australia in July 2025.
A member of the Jewish community recovers an item from the Adass Israel Synagogue on Dec. 6, 2024, in Melbourne, Australia. An arson attack on the Adass Israel Synagogue in Melbourne forced congregants to flee as flames engulfed the building. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese condemned the incident as an antisemitic act, emphasizing that such violence at a place of worship is unacceptable in Australia. (Asanka Ratnayake/Getty Images)
Three other Israelis were also canceled after Oct. 7, 2023 by the Australian government. In June last year, the visa of prominent pro-Israel activist Hillel Fuld was stopped. Fuld’s brother was killed in a terrorist attack in Jerusalem in 2018.
The Times of Israel reported that in a letter sent to Fuld from the Ministry of Home Affairs, his visit would incite “particular segments of the community, namely the Islamic population,” the report claimed.
Two months later, the government canceled a visa for right-wing Israeli politician Simcha Rothman, who had a speaking tour scheduled in Melbourne and Sydney. Rothman is a member of Israel’s governing coalition.
Sign on a house saying “Kill Israel.” (Executive Council of Australian Jewry )
In 2024, Burke canceled a visa for former Israeli parliamentarian Ayelet Shaked, citing remarks about Palestinians that he felt were “demeaning,” according to ABC News.
The Australian Embassy and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade did not answer questions about Yemini’s claims. The press secretary of the Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, declined to respond without Fox News Digital naming sources of criticism against the pm.
The Home Affairs Ministry told Fox News Digital it could not comment on specific cases and did not respond to additional questions.
The environment inside Australia remains tense following the Bondi Beach massacre.
Former Prime Minister of Australia Scott Morrison recently drew condemnation when he suggested that Muslim leaders should be licensed to preach, and that their teaching should be translated into English. Morrison suggested that Muslims in Australia should take “accountability and responsibility” for radicalization, the Australian reported.
An anti-Israel protester’s high-vis jacket during a march against the Jewish state by the Sydney Harbor Bridge in Australia, Aug. 2025. (Ayush Kumar/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)
The site also claimed that one of the shooters had ties to Sydney preacher Wissam Haddad, some of whose lectures ABC News says were ordered removed from social media by a federal judge because they were found to contain “racist and antisemitic” content.
The Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI) produced a 15-minute video which they claim contains multiple instances of incitement to violence towards Jews, recorded at protests in Sydney and at a variety of mosques within 30–40 minutes of Bondi Beach.
Albanese’s press secretary did not respond to questions about whether Albanese had made any effort to respond to the conduct shown in the video.
The Australian National Imams’ Council called Morrison’s remarks “reckless, irresponsible, and deeply ill-informed,” and said it was unacceptable “to suggest that an entire faith community should be held accountable for the actions of two (alleged) criminal offenders, both of whom law enforcement agencies have confirmed acted alone.”
Yemini said the response to Morrison “is part of a broader attempt to shut down any honest conversation about what is driving the surge in antisemitism and ideological violence in Australia.” He said that Australians were told for years that “it was reasonable to distinguish between Islam and radical Islam. Now, we’re being told to ignore the fact that attackers themselves cite religion as their motivation.”