World News
Israeli soldiers participate in Sydney Marathon amid pro-Palestinian protests
Demonstrators in Australia criticized the government for issuing visas to a delegation of current and former Israeli military personnel.
The short version
- Hundreds of protesters gathered along the Sydney Marathon route to oppose the participation of 40 current and former Israeli soldiers.
- Activists and rights organizations urged Australian authorities to investigate the participants for potential involvement in war crimes or genocide in Gaza.
- Australia's Department of Home Affairs declined to comment on specific visas due to privacy, stating all applicants undergo individual character and security assessments.
Key facts
- Hundreds of protesters lined the Sydney Marathon route to oppose the inclusion of 40 current and former Israeli soldiers in the race.[Al Jazeera]
- The Israeli delegation included members from the Golani Brigade and signal intelligence Unit 8200.[Al Jazeera]
- Protest groups, including the Boycott, Divest, Sanctions movement and the Australia Palestine Advocacy Network, called on Australian authorities to investigate the soldiers for potential war crimes or genocide.[Al Jazeera]
- The Australian Department of Home Affairs stated that all non-citizen visa applications are assessed on a case-by-case basis against identity, health, character, and security criteria, but declined to comment on individual cases.[Al Jazeera]
What remains uncertain
- Whether any participating Israeli soldiers underwent extra security or character screenings prior to receiving Australian visas.[Al Jazeera]