Australia Revokes Visa of Israeli Influencer Accused of Spreading Anti-Islam Rhetoric

Melbourne. Australia has canceled the visa of an Israeli influencer who has been campaigning against Islam. This move sends a clear message from the Australian government that it will not accept visitors coming to the country with the intent to spread hatred.

Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke confirmed in a statement released on Tuesday that influencer Yahud's visa was canceled, stating, "Spreading hatred is not a good reason to come to Australia." Yahud announced via social media about three hours before his flight from Israel that his visa had been revoked.

A few hours before the visa cancellation, Yahud had commented on the microblogging website X, describing Islam as a religion intolerant of non-believers, women's rights, children's rights, and gay rights, calling it hateful ideology and aggressive. He also expressed the view that US Muslim Congresswoman Ilhan Omar should be deported.

Australia had tightened its hate crime laws earlier this month following a mass shooting at a Jewish festival at Sydney's Bondi Beach, which resulted in 15 deaths. Yahud, who was born in the UK, recently became an Israeli citizen. He had also publicly mocked the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) mockery.