Australia Cancels Israeli Influencer’s Visa Over ‘Spreading Hatred’

CANBERRA (Azat TV) – Australia has canceled the visa of Israeli social media influencer Sammy Yahood, citing his promotion of hatred and Islamophobic content online, a decision announced just hours before his flight was scheduled to depart from Israel. The move underscores Australia’s firm stance against visitors who seek to spread divisive rhetoric, particularly following recent tightening of hate crime laws and a series of similar visa revocations.

Visa Revoked Amidst Hate Speech Concerns

Australian Minister for Home Affairs Tony Burke confirmed the cancellation on Tuesday, stating unequivocally that “spreading hatred is not a good reason to come” to Australia. The decision came swiftly, with Yahood himself announcing on X that his visa was revoked three hours before his flight to Melbourne. He had already flown from Israel to Abu Dhabi but was subsequently blocked from boarding his connecting flight.

Yahood, a British native and recent Israeli citizen, has a significant online presence, with over 170,000 followers on Instagram and more than 30,000 on X. He is known for frequently posting content critical of Islam. Just hours before his visa was cancelled, he wrote on X, “Islam ACCORDING TO ISLAM does not tolerate non-believers, apostates, women’s rights, children’s rights, or gay rights.” He further described Islam as a “disgusting ideology” and an “aggressor,” and previously called for ‘banning Islam.’ Yahood also advocated for the deportation of United States Representative Ilhan Omar and ridiculed the United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA.

In response to the cancellation, Yahood took to social media, accusing the Australian government of “tyranny, censorship and control” and vowing to take action. He maintained that his spirits remained high despite the block.

Australia’s Stance on Divisive Rhetoric

The Australian government’s decision aligns with its recent efforts to combat hate speech. Earlier this month, Australia tightened its hate crime laws in the wake of a mass shooting at a Jewish celebration at Sydney’s Bondi Beach, which tragically left 15 people dead. Minister Burke indicated that Yahood’s visa was cancelled under the same legislation that has been used in the past to reject individuals on the grounds of disseminating hatred.

This is not the first instance of Minister Burke revoking visas for individuals accused of similar conduct. Sky News Australia reported that he previously cancelled the visitor visa of Israeli-American activist and tech entrepreneur Hillel Fuld over his “Islamophobic rhetoric.” Additionally, Simcha Rothman, a lawmaker with Israel’s far-right Mafdal-Religious Zionism party and a member of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s governing coalition, had his visa revoked last year amid concerns that his planned speaking tour in Australia would “spread division.” The minister can prevent an individual from entering Australia if they believe a person has engaged in hate, vilification, or extremist conduct under the country’s character test.

Community Reactions and Broader Implications

The cancellation has drawn strong condemnation from the conservative Australian Jewish Association (AJA), which had invited Yahood to speak at events in Sydney and Melbourne, including an introductory session on self-defense. The AJA stated it “strongly condemned” the decision by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s government, arguing that “this latest cancellation reinforces deep concerns within the Jewish community that, despite the horror of the Bondi massacre and the government’s belated apology, the Albanese Government hasn’t changed and was never genuine.” The association further noted that Yahood is “the latest Jew to have his visa cancelled by this government,” and criticized the timing, stating they “wait until the last minute.”

The Australian government’s consistent application of its character test and hate speech laws, even when facing criticism from specific community groups, suggests a determined policy to restrict entry for individuals perceived to promote division, indicating a prioritization of social cohesion over absolute freedom of expression for non-citizens on Australian soil.