Israel expresses outrage at Australia’s decision to deny a visa to former Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked

The Israeli government has expressed outrage at Australia’s decision to deny a visa to former Israeli Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked.

Ms Shaked, a right-wing politician who left parliament in 2022, has applied to attend the security conference in Canberra and other events organized by the Australia/Israel and Jewish Affairs Council (AIJAC).

Home Secretary Tony Burke’s office confirmed her visa application had been refused, without giving a reason.

The Australian newspaper reported that Ms Shaked was “barred under sections of the Migration Act that allow the Minister to refuse a visa if he believes the applicant could “denigrate part of the Australian community or cause discord within the Australian community or some segment ” this community.”

“The problem here is not that I didn’t get a visa. The problem is that the current Australian government has become anti-Semitic,” Ms Shaked said on social media site X.

In a video message released by AIJAC, Ms Shaked promised Australia’s Jewish community she would visit “in better days”.

“Australia and Israel have always had a very cordial relationship and the current anti-Israel government will ultimately become just an anti-Semitic joke between the two countries,” she said.

Ms Shaked told Israel’s Channel 12 that she was denied a visa “for political reasons and because I oppose the creation of a Palestinian state.”

Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) said the decision was “unacceptable.”

“This decision is deeply offensive and troubling and will have a negative impact on Australia-Israel relations,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Oren Marmorstein said.

AIJAC chief executive Colin Rubinstein called the refusal “cynical”.

“The decision to deny a visa to former Israeli Justice and Interior Minister Ayelet Shaked on the grounds that she would denigrate Australians and incite public discord is a shameful act of hostility towards a democratic ally,” he said.

Ms Shaked has attracted controversy and condemnation for some of her public statements, including telling Israeli television channel Channel 13 last November that the Gaza town of Khan Yunis should be turned into a football field and hinting that Palestinians should oust from the territory.

“We need to take advantage of the destruction we cause to them to tell the countries of the world that each of them must take a quota. We need 2 million people to leave the sector. Frankly, this is a solution for Gaza. “, she said.

The Australian Center for International Justice said the Australian government made the right decision to deny Ms Shaked a visa.

“Shaked has a deeply troubling history of offensive public statements, including those that may amount to incitement to genocide, criminal prosecution in Australia, and other statements of extreme racial hatred towards Palestinians during her time as a member of the Knesset. Minister of the Interior and Justice and a public figure in Israel,” the statement said.

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