Australia denies visa to former Israeli "justice minister" Ayelet Shaked

Ayelet Shaked, former Israeli occupation minister, has been denied a visa to Australia on character grounds.

The former interior and justice minister, who was scheduled to attend a security conference in Canberra next week, was informed by Home Affairs late on Thursday that her application for a visitor visa had been denied because she could "vilify" Australians or "incite discord".

The Department added that “after careful consideration … a delegate of the minister decided to refuse to grant you a visa."

Accustomed to complete immunity from her usual allies, Shaked called the action "shameful", telling The Australian the decision was "nothing short of a hostile anti-Semitic act."

She recalled how she was formerly welcomed last year and called the decision "an affront to the Jewish community and a stain on the Australian government’s moral standing," also expressing her belief that it betrays the friendship and solidarity that "should bind democracies together."

Shaked was blocked by parts of the Migration Act that empower the minister to refuse to grant a visa if he considers the applicant will "vilify a segment of the Australian community, or incite discord in the Australian community or a segment of that community."

The visa decision cannot be challenged and follows the recent shift in Australia's attitude toward "Israel" and its war on Gaza and Lebanon.

According to Colin Rubenstein, executive director of the Australian/"Israel" and Jewish Affairs Council, the decision to exclude Shaked was "a disgraceful act of hostility towards a democratic ally," referring to the action as not one of a "responsible government, but further evidence of the loss of perspective and principle."

Like many of her Israeli counterparts, Shaked is in support of Israeli settlements in the West Bank. She has in the past boasted that she worked closely with Facebook to censor Palestinian voices, with the Silicon Valley company agreeing to remove around 95% of the information she requested.

In 2022, Israeli security forces prohibited Jordanian tribal judge Trad al-Fayez from entering Palestine and even using the common borders with Jordan after Shaked, accused al-Fayez of violating the visa conditions by instigating "provocations" against "Israel".

𝐀𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐚 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐠𝐧𝐢𝐳𝐞𝐬 𝐏𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐚𝐧 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐬𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐭𝐲 𝐢𝐧 𝐩𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐲 𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐟𝐭

Australia has endorsed a United Nations resolution affirming the "permanent sovereignty" of Palestinians within the Occupied Palestinian Territory, marking a significant shift from its previous stance, The Guardian reported last week.

On Thursday, Australia joined 158 countries, including the UK and New Zealand, in supporting a UN committee resolution that asserts the “permanent sovereignty of the Palestinian people in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and of the Arab population in the occupied Syrian Golan over their natural resources."

Seven members, including the US, "Israel", and Canada, opposed the resolution, while 11 others abstained. The resolution will now advance to the UN General Assembly.

This marks the first instance of an Australian government voting in favor of the "permanent sovereignty" resolution since its introduction approximately two decades ago.

A spokesperson for Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong stated that the vote reflects international concern over "Israel’s" actions, including its “ongoing settlement activity, land dispossession, demolitions, and settler violence against Palestinians.”

“We have been clear that such acts undermine stability and prospects for a two-state solution,” the spokesperson stressed.

“This resolution importantly recalls UN security council resolutions that reaffirm the importance of a two-state solution that has had bipartisan support.”

However, The Guardian Australia said it understands that Australia expressed disappointment over the resolution’s lack of references to Hezbollah’s actions against "Israel".

The news website pointed out that Australia's position on final-status issues, such as borders, security, and occupied al-Quds, remains unchanged and will need to be addressed through negotiations toward a "two-state solution".