The Zionist Federation of Australia (ZFA) demands answers on long visa waits
ZFA’s appeal came amid reports that Israeli siblings Omer and Ella Berger were left stranded in Thailand as Australia demanded they provide details of their IDF service before they could be issued visas, according to Australian Jewish News (AJN)
The young siblings had reportedly been traveling to Australia to celebrate the 99th birthday of their grandmother, who survived the Holocaust
All the Berger family were granted visas except Omer and Ella, who were asked to submit a 13-page document, according to The Nightly
The questions on this document allegedly included 1. have you ever participated in any physical or psychological abuse against prisoners or civilians; 2. have you ever been a guard/official at a detention center, prison, or transit camp; 3. have you ever participated in the crime of genocide or a war crime;
Ella reportedly abandoned her hopes of joining her family for the celebrations in Australia, instead returning to Israel, where she serves in the IDF’s Intelligence Corps, according to AJN
Israel’s former interior minister, Ayelet Shaked, was also recently denied a visa to visit the country
