JERUSALEM, Aug. 18 (Xinhua) -- Israel on Monday revoked the visas of Australian representatives to the Palestinian Authority, citing Australia's earlier decision to cancel the visa of an Israeli lawmaker from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's governing coalition.

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar announced the move on social media platform X, saying he had informed the Australian ambassador to Israel. He added that he instructed Israel's embassy in Canberra to "carefully examine any official Australian visa application for entry to Israel."

Sa'ar said the decision was in response to Australia's move against Simcha Rothman, a parliament member from the pro-settler Religious Zionism party led by far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich. Australia's Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said Rothman's visa was revoked because he spreads "a message of hate and division ... Australia will be a country where everyone can be safe, and feel safe."

Rothman, who chairs the parliamentary committee overseeing judicial matters, said his visa was cancelled a day before he was due to travel to Australia as a guest of the Australian Jewish Association to meet members of the Jewish community.

Sa'ar noted the decision also followed Australia's recent decision to recognize the Palestinian state in September and its earlier cancellation of a visa for former Israeli Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked.

The measure is the latest international sanction against Israeli officials over the ongoing offensive in the Gaza Strip, which has left much of the enclave in ruins, created famine, and killed at least 61,944 people since it began in October 2023.

In June, Australia, Britain, Canada, New Zealand, and Norway imposed sanctions on Smotrich and far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, citing their role in "inciting extremist violence" against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank.

Australia maintains a Representative Office in Ramallah in the West Bank that functions much like an embassy, but it has not established a formal embassy as it has not yet recognized Palestine as a sovereign state. ■