Israel bars activists flying in
Source: Agencies |
April 16, 2012, Monday
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ISRAEL deployed hundreds of police yesterday at its main airport to detain activists flying in to protest its occupation of Palestinian areas in defiance of vigorous Israeli government efforts to block their arrival.
At mid-afternoon, police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said 27 activists had landed at Ben-Gurion International Airport. All were denied entry and were to be placed on return flights, he said. Hundreds more were expected throughout the day.
Four Israeli supporters of the fly-in were arrested for causing a disturbance at the airport terminal after unfurling a banner bearing the protest's theme, "Welcome to Palestine," Rosenfeld said.
Israel is jittery about the prospect of large numbers of protesters arriving because of deadly confrontations with pro-Palestinian activists in the past, notably a naval raid on a Gaza-bound flotilla in May 2010. The activists participating in the fly-in say all planned activities, such as planting trees in the West Bank, are non-violent and accuse Israel of being unnecessarily heavy-handed.
The effect of the protest was diluted by airlines that canceled the reservations of at least 100 known activists, and perhaps hundreds more, under pressure from Israel.
A Interior Ministry spokeswoman said Israel had sent a list of suspected activists to international airlines, asking the carriers to block them from boarding Israel-bound flights. It warned the airlines they would have to cover the cost of the activists' return flights, and threatened unspecified sanctions on airlines if they did not comply, she said.
One of the protest's organizers, Amira Mussalam, said that as of midday, no activists had managed to get out of the airport and make their way to the Israeli-occupied West Bank.
At mid-afternoon, police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said 27 activists had landed at Ben-Gurion International Airport. All were denied entry and were to be placed on return flights, he said. Hundreds more were expected throughout the day.
Four Israeli supporters of the fly-in were arrested for causing a disturbance at the airport terminal after unfurling a banner bearing the protest's theme, "Welcome to Palestine," Rosenfeld said.
Israel is jittery about the prospect of large numbers of protesters arriving because of deadly confrontations with pro-Palestinian activists in the past, notably a naval raid on a Gaza-bound flotilla in May 2010. The activists participating in the fly-in say all planned activities, such as planting trees in the West Bank, are non-violent and accuse Israel of being unnecessarily heavy-handed.
The effect of the protest was diluted by airlines that canceled the reservations of at least 100 known activists, and perhaps hundreds more, under pressure from Israel.
A Interior Ministry spokeswoman said Israel had sent a list of suspected activists to international airlines, asking the carriers to block them from boarding Israel-bound flights. It warned the airlines they would have to cover the cost of the activists' return flights, and threatened unspecified sanctions on airlines if they did not comply, she said.
One of the protest's organizers, Amira Mussalam, said that as of midday, no activists had managed to get out of the airport and make their way to the Israeli-occupied West Bank.
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