End Israel's travel discrimination against New Zealanders

New Zealand and Israel have a reciprocal visa-free entry for their citizens. Before the new rules, all New Zealanders could travel to Israel visa-free and subsequently enter the occupied Palestinian West Bank (entry is controlled by Israel).

Under the new rules which came into effect on October 20th, New Zealand citizens with dual citizenship from five countries, including Jordan (about 60% of Jordan’s population is of Palestinian origin), will not be allowed to visit the occupied West Bank under any circumstances, while other New Zealanders will still be able to. The new Israeli imposed travel rules create two unequal classes of New Zealand citizens on the basis of their national origin, which is an unlawful discrimination according to New Zealand’s basic rights and freedoms.

The discriminatory rules have devastating impacts on the Palestinian community in Aotearoa. The rules mean we can no longer visit our whenua in the occupied West Bank, a privilege that all other New Zealanders have. Many Palestinian kiwis have family in West Bank, and they can no longer visit and see them, a situation which will further separate and isolate us and our people in West Bank.

This is a petition addressed to the Government of New Zealand, to support our demands to take effective actions to end Israel's discriminatory entry rules, and freeze the reciprocal visa free entry arrangement with Israel in the meantime as it is in breach of New Zealander's basic rights and freedom to be protected from unlawful discrimination.

ngā mihi,

A group of Palestinian New Zealanders

To learn more about the new West Bank entry rules:
https://amp.theguardian.com/world/2022/oct/20/israel-imposes-strict-rules-on-travel-to-west-bank