Australia's PM Albanese defies calls for halting visas to Gaza people
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Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese recalls that "Israel" closed the Rafah border crossing between Egypt and Gaza in May.
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Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese speaks during a virtual National Cabinet meeting to discuss the national crisis of gender-based violence, on Wednesday, May 1, 2024. (AP)
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Tuesday defended his government’s decision to issue visas to Palestinians fleeing the Gaza Strip, while refusing to engage with opposition calls in parliament for a ban on arrivals from the war-torn enclave.
Opposition leader Peter Dutton, supported by members of his Liberal Party, raised concerns about the influx of people from Gaza and demanded that Albanese disclose details to parliament, according to ABC News.
The premier, however, declined to respond and expressed confidence in the security agencies overseeing the visa process.
"I remind the leader of the opposition that the Rafah border crossing is controlled by the Israeli and Egyptian authorities. Let's be clear about what is happening here," he pointed out, referring to the crossing that separates Egypt and the Gaza Strip.
Albanese recalled that "Israel closed the Rafah border crossing in May."
"They're not letting people out," he added.
Israeli occupation forces have been in direct control of the crossing since May, knowing they were controlling whether the checkpoint is open or not and what goes through it since the start of the war on Gaza, imposing a stifling blockade on the Palestinian people.
In June, they burnt down the departure hall on the Palestinian side of the Rafah crossing, thereby cutting off Palestinians in the Gaza Strip from the outside world.
While Egypt wants Palestinian Authority personnel to manage the Rafah crossing, "Israel" prefers operators who are not affiliated with the Hamas movement and are opposed to any official role for the Palestinian Authority, Axios reported in mid-July.
Sources told the news website that the Israeli side emphasized that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu opposes any official involvement by the Palestinian Authority in the crossing.
On Sunday, Albanese again dismissed opposition demands to ban Palestinians fleeing Gaza from entering Australia, criticizing the proposal as an attempt to "whip up fear."
Earlier, Dutton had argued that halting migration from the besieged Palestinian enclave was necessary, claiming that allowing people from a war zone into Australia was "putting national security at risk."
The opposition's demand has sparked criticism from both the government and civil society organizations.
Albanese accused Dutton of consistently seeking to create division within communities.
"Peter Dutton is always looking to divide," he stated, countering that such rhetoric from the opposition was fueling community division at a time when security experts are urging "social cohesion".
Nasser Mashni, president of the Australia Palestine Advocacy Network, also labeled Dutton’s remarks as "shameful".
To date, approximately 2,922 visas have been granted to Palestinians fleeing Gaza, with 1,300 of them having "safely" arrived in Australia, according to figures from the Department of Home Affairs.
The data also indicate that 7,100 visa applications from Palestinian territories have been rejected.
SBS News reported a couple of days ago that Australian authorities have denied entry to the children of an Israeli war victim killed in Gaza, despite their uncle living in Australia.
Zuhair El Henday, a resident of New South Wales for several years, said he made extensive efforts to secure visas for his remaining family members in Gaza but was unsuccessful, the report mentioned.
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