Australia on Wednesday dismissed suggestions by Israel that its interventions prompted Canberra to expel Iran’s ambassador as it blamed Tehran for directing at least two antisemitic arson attacks in the country’s biggest cities, Sydney and Melbourne.

“Complete nonsense,” Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke told ABC Radio when asked about Israel claiming credit for Australia’s decision to order Tehran’s ambassador Ahmad Sadeghi to leave the country.

“There was not a minute between us receiving this assessment and us starting to work through what we would do as a response.”

Israeli government spokesperson David Mencer said on Tuesday Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s “forthright intervention” and his criticisms against Australia’s decision to recognise a Palestinian state may have triggered Australia’s response.

“The relationship between this country and Australia was damaged, and so it’s welcome that after Prime Minister Netanyahu’s timely intervention that these actions have been taken by Australia’s government,” Mencer told reporters.

Netanyahu has personally attacked his Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese, describing him as “a weak politician who betrayed Israel and abandoned Australia’s Jews” over his decision to recognise Palestinian statehood at the United Nations General Assembly in September.

Since the Israel-Gaza war began in October 2023, Australian homes, schools, synagogues and vehicles have been targeted in antisemitic vandalism and arson, while Islamophobia incidents have also surged.