Who is Sammy Yahood? British-Israeli influencer who called for ‘banning Islam’ accuses Australian government of ‘tyranny’ after visa ban

A British-Israeli influencer and activist, Sammy Yahood, has accused the Albanese government of “tyranny” after Australia cancelled his visa just hours before his scheduled flight. The decision barred Yahood, a known critic of Islam, from entering Australia, where he was due to speak at events organised for Jewish audiences. The Australian Jewish Association, which had invited him, said the visa was withdrawn just three hours before his flight was set to depart.

“As in other cases, they wait until the last minute,” the Australian Jewish Association said on X. Reacting angrily to the ban, Yahood said he “will be taking action…” and warned against having a feud with Jewish people



In a video posted on Instagram, he said he had booked the flight three days before the Bondi Beach terror attack. “Gasoline has been added to the fire, and I’m telling you now, the Australian government, a tyranny, which seems very similar to one that I know from the UK, does not know what they have started,” he said.

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Yahood has previously courted controversy over his comments on Islam. On November 6, he wrote on X: “It’s time to ban Islam. It’s time to stop being tolerant of those that are not tolerant of us.”

Who is Sammy Yahood?

Sammy Yahood is a British-Israeli influencer, activist, and commentator who has built a large online following around issues of security, identity, and what he describes as the defence of Western values. Raised in London and having recently made Aliyah to Israel, Yahood has said he spent years volunteering within the Jewish community in the UK. According to his public profile, his work included teaching self-defence and providing security for Jewish institutions.

Yahood frequently uses the phrase “PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH” and has gained significant traction on social media, with more than 170,000 followers on Instagram and over 30,000 followers on X.

As described on his website, Yahood positions himself as an advocate for the preservation of Judeo-Christian and Western values. He says he draws on personal experience and observation to speak about what he views as the erosion of core principles such as free speech, strong morals, and personal responsibility.