Australia cancels visa of Israeli influencer accused of ‘spreading hatred’

Australia cancelled the visa of Israeli social media influencer Sammy Yahood on January 27, 2026, citing his history of spreading anti-Islam rhetoric online. Minister for Home Affairs Tony Burke stated that Australia would not accept visitors intending to spread hatred. Yahood, known for Islamophobic posts on X, was scheduled to fly from Israel to Melbourne via Abu Dhabi, but was blocked from taking his connecting flight after arriving in the UAE. The cancellation comes after Australia tightened its hate crime laws following a mass shooting in Sydney. Yahood has also publicly criticized figures like US Representative Ilhan Omar and the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA.

The Australian government cancelled the visa of Jewish influencer Sammy Yahood, preventing his entry into the country where he was scheduled to speak at multiple events. Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke cited Yahood's history of anti-Islam rhetoric, including calls to ban the religion, as the reason for the cancellation. Yahood, who recently moved to Israel from the UK, was planning to conduct self-defense workshops and launch a "peace through strength" campaign. The Australian Jewish Association (AJA) criticized the decision, stating that Yahood was scheduled to speak at synagogues and other organizations. This follows a similar action by Burke, who recently barred far-right Israeli politician Simcha Rothman from entering Australia.