April 12, 2024
THE granting of Australian visas to Palestinians fleeing Gaza has attracted both concern and support.
Some visas were granted and then cancelled last month - including for a number of Palestinians who were already on a plane headed for Australia - and then reinstated.
Shadow Home Affairs Minister James Paterson said the rushed process for granting the visas is a major source of concern.
"Department of Home Affairs officials admitted in Senate estimates last month that on average these visas were granted in 24 hours, and in some instances . as little as one hour. It is very difficult to understand how you could do an adequate identity or security check on a visa applicant from a war zone run by a terrorist organisation so quickly," he said.
Robert Gregory, CEO of the right-wing Australian Jewish Association, expressed concern that the government is risking national security by rushing the visas through without taking the necessary security checks.
"With polling showing that the overwhelming majority of Gazans support the horrific atrocities of October 7, Australia is importing a ticking time bomb.
Statistically, we are bringing in many supporters of terrorism and potentially some members of proscribed terrorist groups," he said.
But Rabbi Ralph Genende, the Interfaith and Community Liasion for the Australia/Israel & Jewish Affairs Council, said the Jewish community needs to temper the fear that they could be Hamas supporters with compassion for the suffering of Palestinians who are caught up in the war.
"As long as our Australian authorities are vigilant in their background checks to ensure those coming are not Hamas members, we should not have a knee-jerk reaction. Jewish tradition is about compassion for human suffering," Genende said.
Michael Chaitow, executive director of the left-leaning New Israel Fund said Gazans should be allowed to find safe haven if the security checks have been done.
"There is a humanitarian crisis in Gaza and there is a need to respond to the critical situation on the ground," he said.
