A disparity between humanitarian visas offered to Ukrainians and Gazans fleeing war has been criticised, as an attempt to recognise a Palestinian state in federal Parliament failed. Source: Yahoo News.
Though the Albanese Government offered visitor visas to Palestinians fleeing Israel’s response to the October 7 Hamas attacks, almost two in every three people had their request refused.
During Senate Budget Estimates on Wednesday, Home Affairs officials revealed it had approved 2686 requests while rejecting 4614.
By comparison, those fleeing Ukraine after the 2022 Russia invasion were offered unlimited visas between April 8 and July 31 that year and more than 5000 visas were issued to those escaping Afghanistan after the 2021 fall of Kabul.
Cabinet minister Murray Watt said Ukrainians had also been initially offered visitor visas.
But Senator David Pocock noted the Ukrainians were offered humanitarian visas within two months.
“We have heard there’s not been a single humanitarian visa issued to people fleeing Gaza,” he said.
“What you’re essentially saying to Palestinian Australians is that your lives are worth less than Ukrainians, worth less than Afghans’?”
Senator Watt disagreed and argued the independent senator was putting words into his mouth, claiming the Government wanted an immediate humanitarian ceasefire.
As of April 30, 2191 Palestinians were holding tourist visas and six had been granted a subsequent bridging visa.
Meanwhile, a Greens-backed motion was introduced to the House of Representatives, but Parliament rejected efforts to bring on debate on statehood recognition, voting it down 80 votes to five.
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Palestinian visas in the lurch as recognition bid fails (By Andrew Brown, Dominic Giannini and Kat Wong, AAP viaYahoo7)
