Haskel, now advised by the former Victorian Liberal Tim Smith, has become a frequent critic of the federal government.
Months before Benjamin Netanyahu dramatically dialled up his public criticism of Anthony Albanese over recognition of Palestinian statehood, it was another Israeli politician getting Canberra's goat.
As Labor struggled to deal with rising antisemitic violence and vandalism after the 7 October 2023 terrorist attacks, Israel's deputy foreign minister, Sharren Haskel, emerged as a regular critic of the Albanese government.
In interviews and newspaper columns, on Rupert Murdoch's Sky News and frequent social media posts, the Canadian-born, one-time Australian resident lashed Labor with surprising frequency.
A month after Hamas attacked Israel, Haskel tagged Albanese and the foreign affairs minister, Penny Wong, in posts highlighting violence outside a synagogue in Melbourne, warning the government should do more to protect Jews. "Don't wait for blood to be spilt," she wrote.
Haskel has shared images of neo-Nazis at Victoria's state parliament, posted videos about attacks on Jewish community facilities in Sydney, responded to the Dural caravan incident and even toured buildings damaged in Iran's bombing of Israel with News Corp Australia journalists.
After Albanese and Wong announced Australia would formally recognise Palestinian statehood in early August, Haskel repeated contested claims that protesters outside the Sydney Opera House had chanted "gas the Jews" two days after the 7 October Hamas attacks. NSW police said those were not the words chanted, but Haskel told ABC radio she heard it herself. Police later said other offensive chants, including "fuck the Jews", were heard. Haskel has called pro-Palestine demonstrators on the Sydney Harbour Bridge "useful idiots" and denied there is starvation in Gaza.
A rising star of Israeli politics, Haskel spent eight years living in Australia, including working as a veterinary nurse in Bondi. She returned to Israel and entered politics, initially part of Netanyahu's conservative Likud party, before defecting to join the more centrist National Unity.
Some observers in Canberra believe Haskel's frequent criticism of federal Labor and strong focus on events in Australia is also being influenced by her senior adviser, the former Liberal politician Tim Smith.
Smith, who went to work for Haskel in February, resigned as Victoria's shadow attorney general and left state politics after he crashed his car into a family home in Melbourne's east while driving with more than twice the legal blood-alcohol limit in October 2021. He moved to London and worked for GB News, the TV network home to rightwing commentators, including Nigel Farage. Some Victorian Liberals say Smith could run for the upper house at next year's state election.
In January, Haskel met the then attorney-general, Mark Dreyfus, in Jerusalem, and claimed the Australian government had an "ongoing campaign against Israel". She criticised the government for refusing to say if Netanyahu would face arrest in Australia over a "baseless, ridiculous and overtly political" international criminal court warrant for his arrest.
Haskel has been a guest of Sky's host Sharri Markson, who herself has criticised Labor for recognising Palestinian statehood, calling it an "appalling decision" that rewards Hamas for its terror.
Markson was the first journalist given a copy of Netanyahu's letter in which he accused Albanese of being weak and fuelling antisemitism. Netanyahu gave Markson an interview on Thursday night, saying Albanese’s record of public service would be “forever tarnished by the weakness that he showed in the face of these Hamas terrorist monsters”.
Haskel has also criticised other countries recognising Palestine, including Canada, where she was born.
The deterioration in relations was sparked by the government's decision to refuse a travel visa for the far-right Knesset member Simcha Rothman, who planned a speaking tour in Australia. Haskel said she was "dismayed" by the decision.
"His exclusion sends a troubling message about the strength of democratic exchange between our two countries," she said.
Some in Labor believe the organiser of Rothman's planned tour, the right-leaning Australian Jewish Association, is coordinating with Netanyahu's government.
The Middle East analyst Rodger Shanahan said the organisers would have expected the visa to be refused, and could have sought a confrontation.
"The Israeli government has overplayed their hand in Australia," he told Guardian Australia.
"Some of the Jewish groups in Australia have really toned down their language, because you get the sense they're not particularly happy that this was a battle that needed to be fought."
Haskel told Guardian Australia she endorsed Netanyahu's statements about Albanese and was not concerned about damaging diplomatic ties through outspoken commentary.
"I love Australia and I have many close Australian friends, and the rise of antisemitism since 7 October has deeply upset me," she said. "Because governments all over the world... have not done enough to deter racist Jew-hate... I have an obligation to call this out and seek change."
On Friday, Israel's foreign minister, Gideon Sa'ar, instructed her to lead a delegation to the Pacific, part of Israel's efforts to build cooperation in the region and to identify "additional strategic and bilateral interests".