Join the call for the New Zealand government to grant emergency humanitarian visas to Palestinians in Gaza who have family in Aotearoa.
Help us to spread the word by sharing this video on social media
Share the call from the New Zealand Palestinian community
Tag MPs: Christopher Luxon, Winston Peters and Erica Stanford
Use the #GrantTheVisas
Read the open letter to the New Zealand Government from organisations
20th March 2024
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon,
Minister of Immigration Erica Stanford,
Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters,
We urgently appeal to the New Zealand government to grant emergency humanitarian visas to Palestinians in Gaza who have family ties in Aotearoa, New Zealand. Additionally, we implore the government to provide the necessary diplomatic assistance for their safe evacuation. Once these families arrive in New Zealand, we ask that robust resettlement assistance is provided for and resourced appropriately.
Approximately 300-400 individuals in Gaza have existing family connections in New Zealand, making them eligible for a visa similar to the one granted to Ukrainian families in 2022.
Over the past five months, more than 31,000 Palestinians have been killed and more than 73,000 injured. With 1.7 million (75%) internally displaced, the humanitarian crisis is rapidly worsening. Our government must act swiftly to facilitate the evacuation of Palestinians with family members in New Zealand, without unnecessary delays.
New Zealand’s humanitarian response to Ukrainian and Afghan families has set a precedent. Making the necessary arrangements to ensure the safety of Palestinian families requires the political willpower to make it happen. Our embassies in the region can be actively engaged to assist with this. The Special Ukraine Visas and Afghan Emergency Resettlement Visas were implemented within weeks. Now after more than 150 days of conflict, we call for a similar humanitarian pathway to be extended to Palestinians with family members in New Zealand.
Australia and Canada have already established pathways; it is our turn to urgently follow suit.
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Foreign Minister Winston Peters and Immigration Minister Erica Stanford, please issue an urgent ministerial directive that establishes an emergency humanitarian visa for Palestinians with family members in New Zealand, and a commitment to bring these families to safety in Aotearoa New Zealand.
*(Statistics from UN-OCHA, as of 15 March 2024)
Signed by
Centre for Asia Pacific Refugee Studies, University of Auckland
National Tertiary Network to Support Refugee Background Students
Te Ao o Rongomaraeroa | National Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies, University of Otago
Kā Rakahau o Te Ao Tūroa | Centre for Sustainability, University of Otago
UNESCO Chair on Dance and Social Inclusion, University of Auckland
Prime Minister:
Christopher.Luxon@parliament.govt.nz
Minister of Foreign Affairs:
Winston.Peters@parliament.govt.nz
Minister of Immigration:
Erica.Stanford@parliament.govt.nz
And your local MP
Add your voice by emailing your Members of Parliament
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon,
Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters,
Minister of Immigration Erica Stanford,
I urgently appeal to the New Zealand government to grant emergency humanitarian visas to Palestinians in Gaza who have family ties in Aotearoa, New Zealand. Additionally, I implore the government to provide the necessary diplomatic assistance for their safe evacuation. Once these families arrive in New Zealand, I ask that robust resettlement assistance is provided for and resourced appropriately.
Approximately 300-400 individuals in Gaza have existing family connections in New Zealand, making them eligible for a visa similar to the one granted to Ukrainian families in 2022.
Over the past five months, more than 31,000 Palestinians have been killed and more than 73,000 injured. With 1.7 million (75%) internally displaced, the humanitarian crisis is rapidly worsening. Our government must act swiftly to facilitate the evacuation of Palestinians with family members in New Zealand, without unnecessary delays.
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters and Immigration Minister Erica Stanford, please issue an urgent ministerial directive that establishes an emergency humanitarian visa for Palestinians with family members in New Zealand, and a commitment to bring these families to safety in Aotearoa New Zealand.
*(Statistics from UN-OCHA, as of 15 March 2024)