Advocacy – No humanitarian visas for Palestinians but plenty of rest and recreation for genocidal Israeli soldiers in New Zealand – PSNA

While the government refuses to provide humanitarian visas for Palestinians with family in New Zealand, there is an increasing number of Israelis likely to be complicit in war crimes freely entering Aotearoa as visitors.

Just released official Statistics Department figures show the number of Israelis who entered Aotearoa this past November (621) is more than twice the number of Israelis who came into the country in November last year (230).

The Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa says many if not most of these ‘tourists’ are actively serving in the Israeli Defence Force’s genocidal attacks on Gaza and Lebanon.

“The United Nations, the International Court of Justice, and most recently Amnesty International, have variously described the Israeli attack on Gaza as genocide.”

PSNA National Chair John Minto says the New Zealand government has no idea how many Israeli ‘tourists’ are doing military service, because they are not required to provide that information as they arrive.

“Genocide duty in the Israeli armed forces is compulsory for nearly all Israelis, so there will be a high proportion of active or reservist soldiers coming to Aotearoa with blood on their hands.”

Service in the IDF for 32 months is compulsory for nearly all Israeli men when they reach 18 and women are required to serve 24 months.

Members of Israel’s ultra-Orthodox community were included in the conscription from June after previously being exempt.

After the initial period, Israelis must be available as reservists until age 40.

John Minto says the New Zealand government must urgently deny entry to any Israelis who are serving or have served in the IDF.

“Combat reservists are now on average serving four months in the IDF.  So it’s not just a narrow younger age group.”

The New Zealand government has a list of extremist Israeli settlers who it bans from entering Aotearoa, but Minto says this list is hopelessly inadequate.  

“The International Court of Justice has obligated countries to prevent Israeli genocide and work to end Israeli occupation of Palestinian Territory.”

“When our border immigration officials are not required to even ask if an Israeli is serving in the military, or is an illegal settler, then our government is ignoring both of its obligations.”

“The soldiers perpetrating this genocide might pretend to be innocent thrill-seeking tourists when they visit here, but they are directly responsible for operating occupation, apartheid, genocide and ethnic cleansing.”

John Minto
National Chair
Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa

Department of Statistics

The number of Israelis who have entered New Zealand by month

• 1) The data is based on the information in INZ’s AMS system. 
• 2) There are occasions that an Israeli passport holder has entered New Zealand multiple times on different dates during the specified period. The data is based on the number of times Israeli passport holders have entered New Zealand, not the number of individuals who have entered. 
• 3) The data is based on passengers who used their ‘Israel’ passport to enter New Zealand.