PRESS ALERT: SA Minister of Home Affairs to meet civil society over Israel/SA visa policy
The South African Minister of Home Affairs Malusi Gigaba has agreed to meet with COSATU, BDS South Africa, ANCYL, COSAS, YCL, SACP, NC4P, PSA and other civil society organisations regarding South Africa’s visa policy in relation to Israel.
South African Civil society has demanded the scrapping of automatic visas for Israelis and more stringent visa requirements for Israelis wanting to travel to South Africa. The demands follow the denial by Israel of Minister Blade Nzimande of a visa to Palestine.
It will be proposed that, among other visa requirements, Israeli citizens must in future declare if they have been actively enrolled in any military or militia (which would include the Israeli Defence Forces), if they have participated in any unlawful conflict, if they have participated in conflicts that utilised chemical weapons (such as white phospherous) and if they have adhered to international law (Israel’s settlements are illegal under international law).
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