New Zealand immigration authorities have begun requiring Israelis seeking to visit the country to disclose extensive information about their military service. All Israeli residents 18 and over, male and female, are subject to a military draft with mandatory service generally 24 to 32 months.
Israelis of conscription or reserve-service age now face a multi-step visa process in which they must specify:
- Dates and durations of their Israel Defense Forces service
- Rank, the units they served in, and the bases where they were stationed
- Any involvement in intelligence services, law enforcement agencies, or organizations that ‘promote violence or human rights abuses’
- Whether they have participated in, or been complicit with, ‘war crimes, crimes against humanity, or other human rights violations’
Israel is a visa-waiver country for short stays, so only those visiting for longer than three months have to apply for tourist visas and fill out detailed questionnaires.
At least one Israeli soldier who served in Gaza was reportedly denied entry after completing these forms, although officials did not publicly confirm the reason for the rejection. New Zealand officials say that combat service in Gaza or elsewhere does not alone disqualify an applicant. Australia has enforced a similar requirement, resulting in at least two Israelis being turned away there.
Meanwhile, Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa has announced a hotline to “track down” Israeli soldiers or reservists vacationing in New Zealand, asking the public to report sightings so they can “inform” these IDF personnel that they are unwelcome. They are also pushing for a comprehensive visa ban on any Israeli with past or current IDF ties. They claim New Zealanders must prevent what they call “rest and recreation from genocide” by Israeli soldiers.
New Zealand has not similarly changed its procedure seeking the same level of details with an equivalent, conflict-specific questionnaire on visitors from Syria, Sudan, or other nations currently embroiled in conflict. Make of that what you will.
(HT: Josh S)
Comment sections are really hitting today.
We have Maga vs DEI on who caused the crash
Now here we go with the age old question: Is it Anti-zionist or anti-semitic!?
Bonus points if someone tells us they’re Palestinian therefore can’t possibly be anti-semitic.
Off we go!
Leave the Kiwis alone. They have pretty much nailed how to live life and provide for their own citizens and communities. Sure there are problems but those guys down there are going to inherit the earth one day, I swear to God.
Do they require the same inormation of any Palestinians or other Muslims? After all, most terrorist attacks in the world are carried out by Muslims.
NZ is a repressive, Nazi paradise with a Maori constituency focussed on racial purity. Adolf Hitler would be right at home.
Are you certain that military service is never addressed when Syrians and Sudanese apply for NZ visas? I was asked about my entire working history including military service when I applied for my working holiday visa in NZ. At age 30 it was fairly extensive.
New Zealand (a wonderful country BTW I have visited in the past and look forward to my next trip) can put in place whatever policy they want. They are a sovereign country. If you don’t like it don’t go – no one has a God given right to travel to a specific country
New Zealand and Israel are not political allies.
I have been to New Zealand while stopping in Auckland on an Air New Zealand itinerary. I have never been to New Zealand as the main destination. Now that New Zealand taxes visitors, I have no plans to visit New Zealand, not even as a stopover.
The same is with the Netherlands. I have never gone to Amsterdam (or Utrecht) just to see the city but have stopped several times while on a KLM itinerary.
This is why taxes can drive out visitors.
Israel requires all its citizens to serve, Sudan and Syria do not. Given that 100% of them are in the military, it’s fair to ask what fighting they’ve been involved with and how many innocent Palestinians they’ve murdered. They should ask this of any Hamas members too obviously
I’ll ask this again: ‘who akbar?’ They’re always shoutin’ that question. Can someone please help the ‘watermelon’ folks find the answer. Is it the fish guy from Star Wars? Maybe. Someone should look into that. Might help.
@AC is correct—international travel is a privilege; in the US Constitution, at least for now, only interstate travel is protected. I suppose once our Emperor, sorry, First Consul, declares martial law and takes ‘emergency powers’ the only ‘vacation’ some of us will get to take is a one-way to the sunny beaches of Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
NZ was on my bucket list but is no longer. It sounds like Hitlers offspring landed in NZ after all and has rapidly multiplied. The gestapo is alive and kicking.
no thanks.
Not that surprising given that NZ’s white people are generally to the woke Left of the US Democratic party. But I thought they recently elected the conservatives, who generally wouldn’t do this anti-semitic virtue signal.
New Zealanders are stupid! Firstly they have all the stupid Aotearoa crap and now they will not welcome a country that should be the Kiwi’s close friend. I’m so glad I have departed NZ shores for the last time and can see the wider world perspective!
I agree this should be applied to ALL. Any country has the right to prohibit entry to anyone who has committed war crimes whether they be Israelis, Palestinians, Syrians, Saudis, Americans, Germans,…etc.
Screw NZ.
“no one has a God given right to travel to a specific country”
Um, yes they do. That’s known as a “Natural Right”.
@Mike P
You’re alive! Please, do tell us again how you have ‘no opinion’ on Putin in a post about Russians shooting down planes (then blame it on ‘economic’ theory or some other red herring).
Good luck with that ‘Natural Right’ argument when you show up without a visa. You sound like one of those ‘Sovereign Citizen’ wackos—just ‘traveling,’ not ‘driving.’ *gets arrested*
This article is misleading, mainly because it uses an Israeli newspaper report as its basis. To provide additional information, head over to the New Zealand Immigration Department’s media centre for their response to this and similar articles. It points out that there has been no change in immigration policy, and the need to provide additional information by some applicants has also been there for some time. The form required asks a lot of additional questions, everything from political employment, family members, travel history, criminal history and your involvement in any war crimes or forced detention. The form has been around since at least 2023. You can read more here: https://www.immigration.govt.nz/about-us/media-centre/news-notifications/immigration-new-zealand-process-for-visitor-visa-applications-from-israel
And, just a further note – here is the status of applications and entrance to NZ as at 14 January 2025:
‘Since 7 October 2023, INZ has received:
944 applications from Israeli nationals across both temporary and residence visa applications. Of those received, 809 have been approved, 37 declined, 69 in progress and the remainder have been withdrawn.
259 applications from Palestinian passport holders across both temporary and residence visa applications. Of those received, 177 have been approved, 53 declined, 21 are in progress and the remainder have been withdrawn.
Of the approved applications 320 Israeli nationals and 58 Palestinians have arrived in New Zealand. These include all visa types.’
You can find additional information here: https://www.immigration.govt.nz/about-us/media-centre/common-topics/situation-between-israel-and-hamas
New Zealand is officially off my travel list.
More anti-Semitism from another country full of c**7ts.
@Joe – You need a lead pill, you Nazi. And your afterthought comment about Hamas does nothing to hide your evil.
————–snip———————–
Joe says: .comment-author
Israel requires all its citizens to serve, Sudan and Syria do not. Given that 100% of them are in the military, it’s fair to ask what fighting they’ve been involved with and how many innocent Palestinians they’ve murdered. They should ask this of any Hamas members too obviously
As a semitic non-jew, this is ok with me. We must confront them the way Max Blumenthal and Sam Husseini confronted Tony Blinken and Matt Miller. This Holocaust committed in the name of zionism will never be forgotten.
Hmmm my comment was removed what a shame, I guess the author does not like Bible verses to show that those who bless Israel will be blessed.
Just booked a flight to visit NZ.
I’m a Nazi and evil because I pointed out Israel requires everyone to serve in the military vs other countries?…and therefore it’s very likely any of its citizens have engaged in something combative and therefore fair for a country to ask what they did. Get out of here Donald Thumper…go deal with your buddy Elon’s saluting if you want to chase potential Nazis
Both NZ and Oz are inhabited by woke low – IQ leftards…