Israeli influencer Hillel Fuld’s visa cancelled for Australian speaking tour

The decision to cancel Hillel Fuld’s visa has been condemned by the Australian Jewish Association, which labelled it anti-Semitic and politically motivated.

Israeli-American tech influencer Hillel Fuld. Picture: Facebook

The Albanese government has cancelled the visa of high-profile Israeli-American tech influencer Hillel Fuld, citing concerns that his presence in the country may pose a risk to “the health, safety or good order” of the Australian community, particularly among Muslim Australians.

The Department of Home Affairs quietly cancelled Mr Fuld’s travel visa this week, accusing him of using social media to deny “documented atrocities” in Gaza, promote Islamophobic views, and spread inflammatory content that could incite division amid heightened community tensions.

Mr Fuld was due to speak at fundraising events in Melbourne and Sydney later this month hosted by Magen David Adom Australia — the local affiliate of Israel’s national emergency medical and blood service.

The events were billed as discussions on Israeli innovation and technology, with Mr Fuld expected to share insights on the tech sector and his personal experiences. Funds raised were to go toward the construction of a new ambulance station in southern Israel.

But according to departmental records obtained by The Australian, Home Affairs officials concluded that Mr Fuld had a documented pattern of sharing provocative content, including broad attacks on the Palestinian identity, denial of “documented atrocities” in Gaza, and claims that large segments of the Muslim population support terrorism.

Hillel Fuld was due to speak at fundraising events in Melbourne and Sydney later this month. Picture: Facebook

One post cited in the visa cancellation decision was a March 2024 Instagram video in which Mr Fuld dismissed as “propaganda” reports by international media outlets that Israeli troops had opened fire on starving Palestinians looking for food aid in Gaza, killing over 100.

“There was no massacre of Palestinians in Gaza today,” he said in the clip. “Palestinians trampled each other as they fought for the aid that the IDF sent in.”

In a lengthy post on X published in January 2025, Mr Fuld asserted that 10 to 15 per cent of the world’s Muslims were “radicalised,” labelled “radical Islam” a “global plague,” and compared Gazan civilians to Nazi-era Germans, claiming that they should be “treated as such”. He also argued it was not “safe to assume that all children in Gaza are innocent.”

“The visa holder has posted on multiple platforms and made statements denying credible documented atrocities in Gaza and Islamophobia rhetoric,“ the decision record states.

The decision has been condemned by the Australian Jewish Association, which labelled it anti-Semitic and politically motivated.

“In light of the fact that the Labor Government is targeting Jewish visitors by cancelling visas, AJA will issue a formal warning to Jews around the world to consider the risks of travelling to Australia,” AJA CEO Robert Gregory said.

“There is a real concern that Jewish visitors may have their visas revoked after flights and accommodation are booked.”

Home Affairs officials expressed concern that Mr Fuld’s speaking engagements in Australia — originally set for June 12 in Melbourne and June 16 in Sydney — could become platforms to “incite discord,” pointing to Australian hate speech laws and the risk of heightened community tensions.

“I consider that segments of the Australian community would be concerned about the visa holder’s denial of mainstream media reporting of the Palestinian killings and the inflammatory comments made by the visa holder in multiple social media posts,” the decision maker wrote.

“I consider there is a risk that those views will be adopted by members of the community and potentially increase the level of hatred against particular segments of the community, namely the Islamic population.”

CEO of the Australian Jewish Association, Robert Gregory. Picture: NewsWire / John Appleyard

The cancellation was issued under section 116(1)(e) of the Migration Act, which allows for a visa to be cancelled if the holder’s presence in Australia is deemed a potential threat to health, safety, or public order. Because Mr Fuld was still outside the country, the government invoked section 128 of the Act to cancel the visa without prior notice.

While the record shows Mr Fuld had previously visited Australia without incident in 2018, officials determined that the volume and nature of his recent online content justified the visa cancellation. The decision also noted that he had failed to disclose his Israeli citizenship on his latest visa application — a discrepancy flagged as a potential breach of immigration obligations, although not the primary basis for cancellation.

The cancellation means Mr Fuld will be barred from entering Australia for at least three years, He may, however, apply for revocation within 28 days of being notified.

The government acknowledged that the decision could result in financial or emotional hardship to Mr Fuld and event organisers but said these factors were outweighed by the potential risks to community cohesion.

“The use of platforms for inflammatory rhetoric can lead to increased hate crimes, radicalisation of individuals and heightened tensions in communities,” the department stated.

In a statement following his visa cancellation, Magen David Adom Australia said they would seek to overturn the decision.