Jewish Group Surprised by Volume of Visas Issued to Gazans

The Australian Jewish Association (AJA) says it is “shocked” to learn from Senate Estimates that despite Foreign Minister Penny Wong announcing in November last year that 860 visas would be issued to people from Gaza, over 2,250 had been issued to Arab Palestinians by Dec. 31. It claims many of these visitors’ visas “may have been processed and approved within 24 hours of application … It is inconceivable that appropriate security screening could have been undertaken.” The Association points out that Gaza is controlled by Hamas, a proscribed terrorist organisation, and the region is currently a war zone. “Two published surveys have shown a very high level of support for Jihadist terrorism with approximately 75 percent of the population indicating support for the barbaric Hamas terror attack of 7 October,” it said....