Israel Denies Entry to Critical Foreign Journalists

German journalist Serena Biancheri has been denied a long-term visa to work in Israel, with the Ministry of Diaspora Affairs citing her alleged promotion of anti-Israel messages, including accusations of apartheid and calls for sanctions. Biancheri, who had been reporting on the region for the German newspaper "Die Tageszeitung" (taz), had hoped to cover Israel intensively after a colleague departed. She submitted her application for an extended visa on August 22, but it was rejected on October 8, with the Government Press Office (GPO) subsequently informing her she did not meet work visa requirements.

The Ministry of Diaspora Affairs stated that Biancheri "echoes anti-Israel messages" and has publicly called for economic and military sanctions against Israel, which violates the Entry into Israel Law. They also pointed to opinion pieces she published, including one that adopted Amnesty International's definition of Israel as an apartheid state and another urging the EU to impose sanctions despite German opposition. The Ministry's Director General, Avi Cohen Scali, asserted that "anti-Israel elements and anyone who slanders Israel should not set foot here. We will not tolerate calls for a boycott of Israel under the guise of professional journalism."

Biancheri disputes these claims, stating she did not call for a boycott but did express opinions on the handling of violence in the West Bank, which she witnessed. She noted that she had previously reported on the trauma of Kibbutz Be'eri residents following the October 7th massacre and on the impact of an Iranian missile strike in Petah Tikva. She believes her reporting on settler violence and the government's alleged strategy of not enforcing against it led to the rejection.

He was questioned about whether Israel commits genocide and whether Hamas is a terrorist organization. After intervention from his news organization and diplomatic channels, he was released and allowed to enter Israel.

The Foreign Press Association in Israel condemned the practice of barring critical journalists, citing Kermani's case and Biancheri's situation. They called on the Israeli government to cease this practice, which they argue is inconsistent with a commitment to press freedom. The GPO's Director of the Foreign Press Department, Ron Paz, stated that while the GPO reviews applications, the recommendation for denial came from the Ministry of Diaspora Affairs. He defended the Entry into Israel Law amendment, saying democracy has a right to protect itself, and that such denials represent a tiny fraction of foreign journalists entering Israel, especially during wartime.