Anthony Albanese has defended Israeli President Isaac Herzog's visit to Australia, saying the temperature needs to come down after protests that turned violent.
Police and protesters clashed in Sydney on Monday night at a demonstration against the presidential visit, with attendees pepper-sprayed, beaten and shoved by officers.
Nine demonstrators were charged with offences including resisting police.
When questioned about the protests in parliament on Tuesday, the prime minister called for calm and noted Mr Herzog was providing the Jewish community with comfort after the Bondi terror attack.
"We need to turn the temperature down in this country. We need to turn it right down," he said.
"President Herzog is here in Australia to offer sympathy and solidarity to people who are mourning and offer his support to members of Australia’s Jewish community.
"I've consistently said that every life matters, whether Israeli or Palestinian, and the violence that we saw last night was devastating. All Australians would have found those scenes very confronting."
Australia remained in favour of engaging constructively with both Israelis and Palestinians to ultimately reach a two-state solution, Mr Albanese said.
Failing to do so would risk maintaining the status quo where Israel was in a position of power and Palestinians remained "an oppressed people", he said.
"The debate is not advanced by people thinking it’s like a football team, where you have to support 100 per cent one side or the other side. That does not advance peace."
Mr Albanese was responding to a question from Greens MP Elizabeth Watson-Brown, who asked whether the government would send Mr Herzog home in light of the "horrific brutality" experienced by protesters.
Her question was met with an interjection from Nationals MP Colin Boyce who told colleagues to "rip her apart", before withdrawing the remark.
The exchange showed the need to tone down the rhetoric "in this chamber and outside", Mr Albanese said.
Greens leader Larissa Waters earlier said the invitation to the Israeli president needed to be rescinded.
"Peaceful protesters being assaulted, being punched, men in prayer being pulled up off the ground as they pray and thrown aside by police is appalling," she told reporters in Canberra.
Mr Herzog on Tuesday visited students at Moriah War Memorial College in Sydney’s east, amid a heavy police presence.
The visit lasted about two hours, with students seen waving Australian and Israeli flags.
Mr Herzog was set to meet with the prime minister on Tuesday afternoon.
He visited the scene of the December 14 terror attack on Monday before addressing an event at Sydney's International Convention Centre.
