New Zealand slams Haaretz's Fake News
New Zealand's Foreign Minister Winston Peters has strongly refuted claims made by U.S. Senator Ted Cruz regarding New Zealand's stance on Israel and its treatment of Israeli visitors, marking a rare public disagreement between the traditionally allied nations.


A diplomatic dispute has unfolded between New Zealand and U.S. Senator Ted Cruz following controversial claims about New Zealand's treatment of Israeli visitors, stemming from a now-retracted media report that sparked international attention.
Haaretz, a prominent Israeli newspaper, published a story claiming New Zealand had introduced new requirements mandating Israeli visitors to disclose their military service history when applying for visas. The report suggested this policy shift was implemented amid the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict, specifically to investigate potential involvement in human rights abuses and war crimes.
The article also referenced a "genocide hotline" allegedly established by pro-Palestinian groups in New Zealand to track visiting IDF soldiers, further intensifying the diplomatic tension.
New Zealand's Foreign Minister Winston Peters swiftly moved to correct the record, labeling the story as "fake news" in a direct response to Senator Ted Cruz, who had criticized New Zealand based on the initial report. "Israelis do not need visitor visas to travel to New Zealand, let alone have to declare their military service," Peters stated emphatically on social media.
Immigration New Zealand confirmed Peters' statement, clarifying that Israeli citizens are permitted stays of up to three months without requiring a visitor visa under the country's visa waiver program. Officials emphasized that no new policies had been implemented regarding military service disclosure for either Israeli or Palestinian nationals.
Following the official clarification, Haaretz deleted their initial social media post about the story without explanation and subsequently published a follow-up article acknowledging the inaccuracy of their original report. The newspaper's later coverage included New Zealand's denial of any policy changes and documented the diplomatic efforts to correct the narrative.
However, the incident had already sparked a broader diplomatic exchange. Senator Cruz questioned New Zealand's position as an ally within the American alliance system, arguing that the country was "denigrat[ing] and punish[ing] Israeli citizens for defending themselves and their country from Iranian-controlled terrorists."
The Senator emphasized the significance of Israel's military campaign against Hamas, particularly in light of the October 7 attacks that claimed both Israeli and American lives. "Hamas didn't just murder Israelis on October 7, but also American citizens," Cruz stated, adding that "Israel's push to utterly eradicate Hamas is straightforwardly and deeply in America's national security interests."
Peters, while forcefully rejecting the premises of Cruz's criticism, also took the opportunity to reaffirm the strength of New Zealand-U.S. relations. "New Zealand and the United States are long-standing, close partners," he noted, emphasizing his country's commitment to maintaining strong bilateral ties.
The Foreign Minister and New Zealand's Chief Human Rights Commissioner both specifically condemned the reported "genocide hotline" as "dangerous, antisemitic nonsense," making clear their opposition to any such initiative.