Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade deputy secretary Harinder Sidhu called Israel’s ambassador to Australia Amir Maimon on Monday night to express the government’s displeasure at the decision.

A nine-page Home Affairs Department record of the Rothman decision, obtained by this masthead, says that Rothman could have used his planned speaking tour to Australia to “continue making inflammatory statements to promote his controversial views and ideologies, which may lead to fostering division in the community”.

“Specifically, I consider his presence in Australia would or might be a risk to the good order of the Australian community or a segment of the Australian community, namely the Islamic population,” a delegate for Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke wrote in the document, dated August 18, which outlines the reasons for his visa approval to be overturned.

The document references media reporting of Rothman’s comments in which he described Gazan children as “our enemies”, argued a Palestinian state would be the first step towards the destruction of Israel and that Israel bears the responsibility for eliminating Hamas, the militant group that has governed the Gaza Strip since 2007.

“The visa holder’s social media and public statements ... mirror the policies of his Religious Zionist Party, including the elimination of Hamas and the expansion and sovereignty of the Israeli state, and denial of any wrongdoing by Israel against Palestinians and Gaza during the current conflict,” the document states.

“These statements have been received by members of the Australian community as inflammatory and concerning.”

The document also notes that Rothman’s arrival was protested by members of the local Jewish community who opposed his support for a controversial overhaul of the Israeli judiciary in January 2024, during a visit to the US.

“Some protesters allege he is indirectly responsible for the Hamas October 7, 2023 attacks as he ignored the advice of top Israeli military leaders that the controversial judicial legislation was leading to political instability that threatened military preparedness,” the document says in a passage that has raised eyebrows in some quarters of the Jewish community.

Sa’ar named Rothman’s visa refusal, which he called “shameful and unacceptable”, and the government’s planned recognition of a Palestinian state as reasons for his decision to revoke the visas of Australian representatives to the Palestinian Authority.

He made the statement in Israel, shortly after 9pm on Monday, AEST.

Wong responded within four hours of Israel’s move by issuing a statement at about 12.45am on Tuesday, AEST, saying it was an unjustified reaction after Australia chose to recognise Palestine.

“At a time when dialogue and diplomacy are needed more than ever, the Netanyahu government is isolating Israel and undermining international efforts towards peace and a two-state solution,” she said.

Opposition foreign affairs spokeswoman Michaelia Cash said it was absurd to suggest it is inflammatory to call for the elimination of Hamas. “Hamas is an internationally recognised terror group,” she said. “Having a different opinion to the Albanese government is not grounds for a visa cancellation.”

Executive Council of Australian Jewry co-chief executive Alex Ryvchin urged Israel and Australia to stop the tit-for-tat actions before they get out of hand.

“Calm heads need to take control of the situation. Otherwise, there will be a risk to some $2 billion in bilateral trade, extensive investment in Australian start-ups, vital security co-operation and the Israeli-made medicine and medical technology that we all rely on,” he said.

Bart Shteinman, a spokesman for the progressive Jewish Council of Australia welcomed the decision to cancel Rothman’s visa but said the government should go further by banning all members of the Netanyahu government from travelling to Australia.

“The question for us is why was he not already on a sanctions list,” he said.

Colin Rubenstein, executive director of the Australia Israel & Jewish Affairs Council, said the decision to cancel Rothman’s visa was “deeply troubling”, calling for the two nations to stop their “unproductive diplomatic jousting”.

“While some of his views undoubtedly may be controversial and contrary to those held by AIJAC, refusing him a visa sets a disturbing precedent for Australia’s treatment of a fellow democracy and longstanding friend,” he said.

Rothman told The Jerusalem Post on Monday that the Australian government’s decision was “blatant and obvious antisemitism” and gave a “tailwind” to terror. He told the ABC that the Australian government was “afraid of open discourse about its policies”.

“That’s usually defining dictatorships,” he said.

Australia’s ambassador to Israel, Ralph King, was told of Sa’ar’s decision a short while before it was made public, according to The Times of Israel.

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The Australian Representative to the Occupied Palestinian Territories, Bethany Randell, is based in Ramallah in the West Bank, the home of the Palestinian Authority led by President Mahmoud Abbas. The revocation of an Israeli visa would present significant challenges to Randell’s work.

The Palestinian Authority’s Foreign Affairs Ministry condemned Israel’s move in a statement to the ABC, saying it was arrogant but would bolster the international push for a two-state solution.

“The ministry considers this measure illegal and in violation of the Geneva Conventions, international law, and United Nations resolutions, which do not grant the occupying power such authority,” the ministry said.

Communication with Abbas was a key factor in the deliberations before Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced the decision to recognise Palestinian statehood on August 11. Albanese held a call with Abbas in the days before the decision, and said the foreign policy shift was predicated on commitments from the Palestinian leader about holding elections and accepting Israel’s right to exist.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called Australia’s recognition decision “shameful”.

Wong imposed financial sanctions and travel bans on two Israeli ministers on June 11, saying Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich had incited extremist violence against Palestinians in the West Bank.

Last November, the Australian government rejected a visa application from former Israeli minister Ayelet Shaked. She had planned to speak at events hosted by the AIJAC. She is a former MP for the far-right Yamina party.

Rothman, a member of the Religious Zionist Party and a member of the Knesset, was planning to speak at events in Sydney and Melbourne this month before his visa was cancelled. Rothman has argued that Palestinians should leave Gaza.

“Any refugee from Gaza who wants a solution shouldn’t be held there,” Rothman told the BBC in the weeks after the October 7 attacks in 2023, when Hamas killed hundreds of Israeli civilians and took others hostage.

Rothman also told the UK’s Channel Four in May this year that Gazan civilians, including children, were “enemies” of Israel and should not be allowed into the country because they could “conquer” it.