New Zealand Requires ‘Declaration’ From Israeli Visa Applicants
New Zealand will now require Israelis applying for a visa to report details about their military service, and at least one person has been denied entry after doing so, according to the Times of Israel newspaper and as reported on Al Jazeera.
Israelis applying for a tourist visa will have to disclose whether they served in the military – as most Israelis do – or are active reservists, the outlet reported.
One of the questionnaires asks applicants if they “used or promoted violence or human rights abuses to further their aims”. Another question probes if the applicant has “been involved in war crimes, crimes against humanity, or human rights abuses”.
At least one soldier who served in Gaza in recent months was denied entry to New Zealand after filling out the questionnaire, he told the Times of Israel, adding that he had not been involved in war crimes.