Israel is considering canceling the existing visa exemption agreement between itself and Australia, following the denial of the entry of former minister Ayelet Shaked.
The issue has been examined in the last few hours by the Interior and Foreign Ministries. A political official defined the event as a “scandal”.
By the way, Minister of the Interior Moshe Arbel was a guest today (Thursday) at the Eshkol conference of YOS authorities and during the event he referred to the Australian decision: “I want to start with a sharp condemnation of the Australian government, which in a despicable decision decided not to approve the entry of the former Minister of Justice and the Interior Eilat Shaked into the country because her opposition to the establishment of a Palestinian state”.
Minister Arbel added that this was a disgrace and promised practical measures: “I spoke with the legal advisor of the Population and Immigration Authority to check reciprocal measures to prevent Australians from entering Israel.”
“I know I’m being photographed, so here it is: Australia, I too oppose the establishment of a Palestinian state. We are here by force of the historical right of our ancestors’ inheritance,” the minister added.
As I recall, Shaked received a message earlier today (Thursday) stating that she will not be granted a visa to Australia and will not be able to enter the country. Shaked was supposed to fly to the conference on Motzash, but in the answer to her application to get a visa, it was written that her entry “may hurt the feelings of another community in the country”.
The former minister was invited to participate in a conference of a Jewish organization (AIJAC) that conducts a strategic dialogue between Israel and Australia. This is a precedent for refusing to grant a visa to an Israeli political personality, who is not from the fringes of the extreme right. An inquiry reveals that the reason for the refusal is that Shaked opposes the establishment of a Palestinian state.
Shaked said in response: “The current Australian government is an extreme anti-Israel and pro-Palestinian government, some even anti-Semitic, which for political reasons, since I oppose a Palestinian state, does not allow me to reach a strategic dialogue between Israel and Australia.”
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