Controversial pro-Israel influencer blocked from Australia for anti-Islam posts

Late last month, the Australian government canceled A Travel visa Because of anti-Islam comments he posted on social media — outspoken Jewish influencer Sami Yehud — critics say this is just the latest example of authorities targeting pro-Israel voices.

In a post on InstagramYehud claimed that the Australian government “contacted the United Arab Emirates to ensure that he could not board a plane to Melbourne.”

He said that he booked his travel through the United Arab Emirates three days ago Bondi Beach terrorist attack It led to the killing of 15 people as they gathered to celebrate Hanukkah on the beach. In the wake of the tragedy, he said he hoped his visit would give the Jewish community “some hope for the future.”

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Rabbi Yossi Friedman speaks to people gathered at a floral memorial service next to the Bondi Pavilion on Bondi Beach on Tuesday, December 16, 2025, following Sunday’s shooting in Sydney, Australia. (Mark Baker/AP Photo)

The Guardian reported that Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said of his visa cancellation that “spreading hate is not a good reason to come” to Australia. On social media, the controversial influencer Yehud called for a ban on Islam, saying: “It is time to stop tolerating those who do not tolerate us.”

Avi Yamini, Rebel News Online’s chief correspondent in Australia, told Fox News Digital that Yahud “is just the latest name in a growing list of Jews banned from entering Australia, not because they pose any real security threat, but because this government is working to appease a particular voting bloc.”

“Only one Islamic extremist has been stopped under this government. In the wake of the Bondi terror attack, this imbalance tells you everything you need to know about their priorities,” Yamini claimed.

The Australian government denied the visa of Lebanese preacher Hussein Makki in March 2025, according to the Herald Sun. Mackey 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.”

The Sydney Morning Herald said Fox News Digital also found that in August 2025, the government banned the travel of a Palestinian cookbook author who publicly expressed support for the October 7 Hamas massacre. A 61-year-old Palestinian woman had her visa canceled while in Australia in July 2025, SBS reported.

Intelligence warned Australia of Iran-linked terrorist activity months before the Bondi attack, officials say

A member of the Jewish community recovers a piece from the Adas Israel Synagogue on December 06, 2024 in Melbourne, Australia. An arson attack on Melbourne’s Adas Israel Synagogue forced worshipers to flee as flames tore through the building early Friday morning. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese condemned the incident as an anti-Semitic act, stressing that such violence in a place of worship is unacceptable in Australia. (Photo by Asanka Ratnayake/Getty Images) (Asanka Ratnayake/Getty Images)

Three other Israelis were also canceled after 7 October 2023 by the Australian government. In June last year, prominent pro-Israel activist Hillel Fuld had his visa suspended. Fuld’s brother was killed in a terrorist attack in Jerusalem in 2018.

The Times of Israel In a letter sent to Fuld from the Home Office, the report said his visit would excite “certain segments of society, specifically the Muslim population,” the report said.

Two months later, the government canceled the entry visa of right-wing Israeli politician Simcha Rothman, who was scheduled to go on a speaking tour in Melbourne and Sydney. Rothman is a member of Israel’s ruling coalition.

They sang over the verse, saying, “Kill Israel.” (Executive Council of Australian Jewry)

In 2024, Burke revoked the visa of former Israeli parliamentarian Ayelet Shaked, citing remarks about Palestinians that he felt were “insulting,” ABC News reported.

The Australian Embassy and Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade did not respond to questions regarding Yamini’s allegations. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s press secretary declined to respond, and Fox News Digital did not mention the sources of the criticism directed at the Prime Minister.

A former Hamas hostage warned Australian leaders of the dangers of anti-Semitism months before the Bondi Beach attack

The Interior Department told Fox News Digital that it could not comment on specific cases and did not respond to additional questions.

The environment within Australia remains tense after a disaster Bondi Beach massacre.

Former Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison recently sparked condemnation when he suggested that Muslim leaders should be licensed to preach and have their teachings translated into English. The Australian newspaper reported that Morrison suggested that Muslims in Australia should bear “accountability and responsibility” for extremism.

High-visibility jacket of an anti-Israel demonstrator during a rally against the Jewish state at the Sydney Harbor Bridge in Australia. August 2025. (Aayush Kumar/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)

The site also claimed that one of the shooters was related to Australian preacher Wissam Haddad, who ABC News says had some of his lectures ordered removed from social media by a federal judge because they were found to contain “Racist and anti-Semitic” content.

The Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI) has produced a 15-minute video purporting to contain multiple examples 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 made any effort to respond to the behavior shown in the video.

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The Australian National Imams Council described Morrison’s comments as “reckless, irresponsible and grossly ill-considered”, and said it was unacceptable “to suggest that an entire religious community should be held accountable for the actions of two (alleged) criminal offenders, both of whom law enforcement agencies have confirmed acted alone”.

Yamini said the response to Morrison “is part of a broader attempt to shut down any honest conversation about the reasons behind the rise of anti-Semitism and ideological violence in Australia.” He said Australians had been told for years that “it is reasonable to distinguish between Islam and radical Islam. Now, we are being asked to ignore the fact that the attackers themselves cite religion as their motivation.”