Israel Denies Entry to German Journalist Advocating Sanctions
Translated & summarized from Mako by baba
Israel has denied entry to German journalist Serena Bilančeri, who has advocated for economic and military sanctions against the country. The Ministry of Diaspora Affairs recommended the Population and Immigration Authority reject her work visa, which was accepted, preventing her from becoming the permanent correspondent for the German newspaper taz. Bilančeri has accused Israel of apartheid and called for international sanctions in her published articles. The ministry stated it would not tolerate boycott calls disguised as journalism.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Israel denied entry to German journalist Serena Bilančeri for advocating sanctions.
- The Ministry of Diaspora Affairs recommended the rejection of Bilančeri's work visa.
- Bilančeri's visa denial prevents her from serving as the permanent correspondent for the German newspaper taz.
- She has accused Israel of apartheid and called for economic and military sanctions.
- The ministry stated it will not tolerate boycott calls under the guise of journalism.
Israel has denied entry to German journalist Serena Bilančeri, who has publicly called for economic and military sanctions against the country. The Ministry of Diaspora Affairs and Combating Antisemitism recommended that the Population and Immigration Authority prevent her entry, a recommendation that was accepted. Consequently, Bilančeri's application for a work visa was rejected, thwarting her appointment as the permanent correspondent for the German newspaper taz in Israel.
Bilančeri, a 43-year-old German national of Italian descent reporting from Jordan, Syria, and Israel on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, has accused Israel of being an "apartheid state" in her articles. According to the ministry, she has twice publicly called for economic and military sanctions against Israel in the newspaper, meeting the legal criteria for denial of entry and residency.
Avi Cohen Scali, Director General of the Ministry of Diaspora Affairs, stated, "We will not tolerate calls for a boycott against Israel under the guise of professional journalism. Professional journalism should not take sides in the conflict it covers, and certainly not exploit the country's platforms to promote agendas that harm it."
One article published on November 17, 2025, titled "Sanctions Against Israel," adopted Amnesty International's definition of Israel as an "apartheid state" and described settler violence as part of a radical expulsion strategy. In it, Bilančeri urged the United States, Germany, and Europe to impose economic and military sanctions on Israel.
In another article from September 1, 2025, she called on the European Union to act against Germany's opposition to sanctions on Israel concerning the Gaza war, urging further measures if initial steps were ineffective.
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