Please explain, Minister
Following reports of delays in the issuing or denial of visas to Israelis wanting to visit Australia, the Zionist Federation of Australia is seeking clarification from the Minister for Home Affairs.
Tony Burke
There has been a noticeable increase in wait times for visas to be issued to Israelis, from a few days previously to over a month recently.
In a statement, the ZFA says: “There is a strong belief within the community that this has led to what can only be described as a form of shadow bans or additional barriers in visa processing that has previously not been problematic before October 7 2023, and the subsequent conflict.
This is directly impacting the capacity of the Jewish community to live a Jewish life, see family and friends from Israel, and for Jewish educational institutions to bring out Jewish educators.
Whether this shift is intentional or not, this latest visa issue, which has never been problematic in the past, is adding to the perception that the Jewish community in Australia is being targeted following a drastic rise in antisemitism.
We call on Minister Burke to urgently publicly clarify the government’s position on this critical issue and to articulate if any changes have been made, and if so, which countries are impacted and why.”
