Source: Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa
Some Israeli soldiers have been denied visas to enter Australia after being required to fill in a 13-page form to determine if they had been involved in war crimes against Palestinians in Gaza. (ref. https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/israeli-soldiers-denied-visa-australia-following-war-crimes-questions )
Israelis coming to New Zealand face no such requirements.
Since 2019 Israelis can enter New Zealand for three months without needing a visa. This visa-waiver is used by Israeli soldiers today for “rest and recreation” from the genocide in Gaza.
“We face having Israeli soldiers rejected by Australia over war crime concerns jumping on a plane to New Zealand”
“We cannot depend on Israeli soldiers to give accurate reports of their involvement in war crimes so we have asked the government to suspend all visas for Israelis who are serving or who have served in the Israeli Defence Force” says PSNA National Chair John Minto.
“United Nations officials, the International Court of Justice and now Amnesty International have all used the term genocide to describe the actions of the Israeli Defence Forces in Gaza where over 45,000 People – mostly women and children – have been slaughtered by the IDF”
“Last month the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Israeli Defence minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity”.
“All the red flags for genocide have been visible for months but our National-led coalition government is giving the green light to those responsible for war crimes to enter New Zealand”
“New Zealand’s response to genocide in Gaza has been a cowardly refusal to stand up for the Genocide Convention which requires us to ‘prevent and punish’ the crime of genocide”
This needs to change today.
John Minto
National Chair
Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa
