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'Did you participate in genocide?': Australia stonewalls Israeli siblings' visa application over IDF service (www.ynetnews.com)

submitted 5 days ago by geneva_convenience@lemmy.ml to c/worldnews@lemmy.ml

34 comments fedilink hide all child comments

Israeli siblings Omer Berger, 24, and Ella Berger, 22, faced delays in obtaining Australian visas after being asked to complete to complete a 13-page document typically required for military personnel involved in war. The siblings had planned to visit their 100-year-old great-grandmother, a Holocaust survivor.

According to Berger, six family members applied for Australian visas two months ago. While all were promptly approved, Omer and Ella were told to submit the extended form. The questions included whether they had participated in physical or psychological abuse, served as guards or officials in detention facilities or engaged in war crimes or genocide.

Ella, who had received a week’s leave from her military service to attend the celebration, gave up waiting and returned to Israel. Omer, a reservist, remains in Thailand, hoping for a resolution. Berger expressed the family’s heartbreak, fearing they may never see their great-grandmother again. “We just want a clear answer, yes or no,” he said.

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[-] NocturnalMorning@lemmy.world 146 points 5 days ago

Oh the sweet irony of serving in a military committing genocide and wanting to visit your relative whom is a holocaust survivor.

[-] ShinkanTrain@lemmy.ml 43 points 4 days ago

On land unceded to the colonizers by genocided peoples.

[-] CrayonMaster@midwest.social 69 points 5 days ago

"Stonewalled", no, that's 13 pages of routine paperwork. I had to do more to see the doctor.

[-] Rentlar@lemmy.ca 85 points 5 days ago

faced delays in obtaining Australian visas after being asked to complete to complete a 13-page document typically required for military personnel involved in war

Well, they were involved in war, no matter how much lipstick this article wants to put on the pig.

[-] unexposedhazard@discuss.tchncs.de 23 points 5 days ago

Reservist = Military Personnel

Am i missing something here or why is that even mentioned?

[-] moody@lemmings.world 7 points 4 days ago

Reservists don't necessarily go fight in a war. A lot of their work is voluntary rather than forced.

[-] unexposedhazard@discuss.tchncs.de 11 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago)

Reservists are soldiers that were drafted, served and then went back to doing civilian stuff. In Israels case there are probably no reservists that did not get deployed in some capacity. The chance that any randomly picked reservist has not participated in genocide, torture or at least unjust abuse of people from Gaza or the Westbank is pretty damn low.

[-] corsicanguppy@lemmy.ca 16 points 4 days ago

Not a war; a belligerent invasion.

[-] Viking_Hippie@lemmy.dbzer0.com 48 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago)

being asked to complete to complete a 13-page document typically required for military personnel involved in war

Being part of the illegal occupation force known as the IDF should DEFINITELY qualify you for that, plus more.

[-] CrimeDad@lemmy.crimedad.work 65 points 5 days ago

(Source)

[-] Kalkaline@leminal.space 14 points 5 days ago

You have the world's tiniest violin, but can you play it?

[-] Clasm@ttrpg.network 38 points 5 days ago

[-] eldavi@lemmy.ml 12 points 5 days ago

sure, but is the tardigrade any good with it? lol

[-] moody@lemmings.world 9 points 4 days ago

It's handling it all wrong, so I would guess no.

[-] jlow@beehaw.org 5 points 4 days ago

That's neither a violin nor how you play one 🤭

[-] Clasm@ttrpg.network 6 points 4 days ago

Hey, that Tardigrade is doing his best, okay!

[-] octopus_ink@lemmy.ml 11 points 5 days ago

For whatever reason that's not coming through for me without clicking.

For others who might have the same issue:

[-] lazynooblet@lazysoci.al 4 points 5 days ago

What did you post?

[-] octopus_ink@lemmy.ml 2 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago)

I converted the png to a smaller filesize jpg and posted it. Here's a screenshot, but if my other pic didn't come through for you, I am thinking this one won't either.

Edit: Direct link to screenshot: https://lemmy.ml/pictrs/image/36422048-1969-4c7c-aba5-ed1a934194c2.png

[-] granolabar@kbin.melroy.org 54 points 5 days ago

Good fuck these war criminals.

Make Israelis feel unwelcome everywhere besides their shiti apartheid shit hole.

[-] monk@lemmy.unboiled.info 16 points 5 days ago

No, you got it all wrong, make Israel feel welcome everywhere but there (provided they don't have a problem with the applicable immigration forms, ofc).

[-] HumongousChungus@hexbear.net 40 points 4 days ago

“We just want a clear answer, yes or no,”

So... DID you participate in genocide?

[-] unexposedhazard@discuss.tchncs.de 37 points 5 days ago* (last edited 5 days ago)

“We just want a clear answer, yes or no,” he said.

Well they also just want a clear answer, yes or no. We already know which one it is tho...

[-] lorty@lemmygrad.ml 35 points 5 days ago

If traveling is that important maybe don't participate in genocide then?

[-] Slavoj_Zuckerberg@hexbear.net 21 points 5 days ago

You don't understand, the government told them to! If you think about it they're the real victims.

[-] TheLepidopterists@hexbear.net 14 points 4 days ago

Yeah, they were just following orders

[-] araneae@beehaw.org 27 points 4 days ago

I guess seeing her grandma wasn't as important to her as not telling the truth. How hurtful for her grandma. At least she won't have to greet any more genocide enactors.