Published: 26 November 2024
Last updated: 26 November 2024
Former Israeli Minister of Interior and Minister of Justice Ayelet Shaked was scheduled to be in Australia last night to participate in a panel on the Middle East hosted by the Australia Israel & Jewish Affairs Council.
Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke denied Shaked a visa, without citing a reason but using the ministerial discretion which allows him to deny a visa on character grounds.
Was the denial justified?
YES
Jack Ginger
Australia’s Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke recently cancelled the visa of Muslim American law professor Khaled Beydoun after he gave a lecture at a Sydney mosque in which he described October 7 as a “good day”.
He refused a visa to Candace Owens, a far-right commentator who denies aspects of the Holocaust.
Comments11
IY18 February at 12:25 am
With respect, Colin comes across as overly emotional and lacking nuance.
Menajem Schonberg30 November at 05:07 pm
Thanks for the link to her statement.She says to level Khan Younis and says to rebuild it in the same breath, watch it. She was always a responsible politician and to call her racist is far fetched. The refusal of the visa is a crazed action from a sinking government
Fiona27 November at 06:50 am
Ginger is spot on.
Shaked is opposed to Palestinian sovereignty, openly embraces settlement expansion, is actively involved in Yesha. Whilst these policies may be supported by a sizeable part of the J community here ( and in Israel) the Australian government has a responsibility to ensure those entering its shores are of good character, uphold freedom and democracy and do not endorse or incite violence.
Martin Munz27 November at 06:46 am
AIJAC’s invitation to Ayelet Shaked to speak in Australia seems to raise the question of Israeli extremism being imported here?
Harold Zwier27 November at 01:40 am
I liked the way Jack Ginger presented the case supporting the denial of a visa to Ayelet Shaked. I looked in vain for a similarly argued case by Colin Rubenstein for allowing her entry to Australia. Instead, Rubenstein concentrated on the anger he feels towards the Australian government and had nothing to say about why Shaked’s comments that vilify Palestinians should not preclude her from being allowed into Australia.