8 Pro-Palestinian Activists Barred From Flying to Israel as Droves Flood Airport
- Posted on July 7, 2011 at 11:47am by
Jonathon M. Seidl
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JERUSALEM (AP) — Israel deployed hundreds of extra police at its already heavily guarded international airport Thursday and asked European airlines to bar potential troublemakers from Tel Aviv-bound flights in anticipation of the arrival of hundreds of pro-Palestinian activists.
In Paris, eight activists were blocked from boarding a Malev Airlines flight Thursday. One of those turned away, Philippe Arnaud, said Malev showed him a list provided by Israeli authorities of nearly 400 people being barred from Israel. German carriers Lufthansa and Air Berlin said they also received lists.
The activists, expected to arrive in Israel late Thursday and Friday, say they are on a peaceful mission to the West Bank to draw attention to the plight of Palestinians living under Israeli occupation. Israel holds complete control over who enters and exits the West Bank.
But Israel has been wary of entanglement with foreign activists since Israeli naval commandos clashed with passengers aboard an international Gaza-bound flotilla last year, killing nine people. Israeli concerns were further heightened by deadly clashes in recent weeks with pro-Palestinian activists along its frontiers with Lebanon and Syria.
Police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said officers deployed at Tel Aviv’s Ben-Gurion International Airport have been prepared to deal with scenarios ranging from uneventful landings to airport officials being attacked.
Israel is known for its strict airline security, beginning with check-ins on incoming flights, and officials claim they have sophisticated intelligence procedures in place to identify potential troublemakers. It’s unclear how many activists would be denied entry after landing at the airport.
Israel says it will not stop people because of their political beliefs, but that its only concern is to stop people who plan to carry out illegal or violent acts.
Rosenfeld said airport facilities could hold as many as 80 detainees, and that any overflow would be sent to a prison in southern Israel.
The airborne activists, meanwhile, have denied any direct connection with the latest attempt to breach the Gaza blockade, which appears to have largely fizzled in recent days. The flotilla ships were held up by mysterious malfunctions and Greek authorities who did not let them set sail from ports in Greece where the ships had mustered.
Organizers of the flights to Tel Aviv say their people will tour the West Bank in solidarity with the Palestinians and that some would take part in weekly protests against Israel in east Jerusalem and the West Bank. They say all their activities will be nonviolent.
In Europe, German federal police said as long as passengers had valid tickets and passports, they had no grounds to stop any activists at airports there.
Two German airlines, flagship carrier Lufthansa and Air Berlin, said Thursday they received lists of people from Israel who are not allowed into the country.
Lufthansa said it would comply. Lufthansa “is obliged not to transport any passengers who do not hold valid entry permits or whose entry into the respective state has been denied by local authorities beforehand as in this case,” company spokesman Patrick Meschenmoser said Thursday. He declined to say how many passengers were on the list, or whether any of them had planned to fly with the airline.
German authorities also said that German citizens of Palestinian descent would not be allowed into Israel. The vast majority of Palestinians are barred from using Israel’s airport.
Arnaud, the activist turned away in Paris, has led calls to boycott Israeli products in France. He said Malev refused to let him and seven others board at Charles de Gaulle Airport. “They showed us a letter from the (Israeli) interior ministry with a list of nearly 400 people, with names … saying to bar us from traveling to Israel,” he said by telephone from the Paris airport.
The French airport authority wouldn’t comment on the incident, and Malev Airlines officials in Paris could not be reached.
In London, Britain’s Foreign Office said it had not been asked by Israel to prevent anyone from boarding flights to Israel.
The prospect of an influx of pro-Palestinian sympathizers has agitated Israel. The Israeli public security minister claimed some of the potential arrivals were “hooligans,” and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made a show of reviewing security agencies’ plans at the airport before flying to Romania on Wednesday.
The “Welcome to Palestine” movement has estimated that between 500 and 700 people would arrive on flights over the weekend. It accused Israeli authorities of badly overreacting, noting that there are strict security procedures before boarding the plane.
“This is a total circus by the Israeli authorities, who are painting us as criminals,” said French activist Olivia Zemor.
She said some 300 of the 600 activists planning to go to Tel Aviv and then the biblical West Bank town of Bethlehem are French, aged between 9 and 85.
Some Israeli critics accused officials of appearing unnecessarily hysterical and painting the country as a police state.
“The State of Israel has lost its senses,” columnist Eitan Haber wrote in Thursday’s Yediot Ahronot newspaper. “We are playing right into the hands of a few bands of troublemakers who are successfully trying to make Israel look bad around the world?”
Israel’s Tourism Ministry, anticipating possible inconveniences or delays at the airport, said it would greet incoming visitors over the weekend with flowers.
“We need to maintain a sense of normality at the airport, sending out a message to the international press that Israel is a safe country and an attractive tourism destination,” said tourist minister, Stas Misezhnikov.
At any given time, hundreds of foreigners, many of them aid workers or activists, are in the West Bank.
Meanwhile, Israel says it has the right to determine who passes through its borders and routinely denies entry to people of Palestinian origin and their foreign supporters, including high-profile academics like Noam Chomsky and Norman Finkelstein.
The only way to get to the West Bank is through Israel-controlled crossings – either by arriving at Ben-Gurion and driving to the West Bank, or from Jordan, by passing through the Israeli-controlled crossing on the Jordan-West Bank border.
Access to blockaded Gaza, run by the militant Hamas group, is even more difficult. Israel allows few people to cross its border with Gaza. And with few exceptions, Gazans can only travel abroad by crossing into Egypt through their shared border.
During a visit Thursday to Bulgaria, Netanyahu said Israel would exercise the “basic right” that every country has to block provocateurs from entering.
“We have a restrained resolve to deal with provocations, to prevent disruptions of the public order,” Netanyahu said.




















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Comments (109)
SafeguardOurLiberty
Posted on July 7, 2011 at 12:55pmSend them all to Palestine, take away their passports, and let them live there. Maybe if they actually live there awhile theywill see the truth about these terrorists. And even if they don’t, eventually they will be killed or disappear because they are westerns. I don’t really care what happens to them. If you support Palestine, you support terrorists. And they are no better.
Report Post »rienheart
Posted on July 7, 2011 at 12:54pmDumpster… If you stand with Palestine then go there and stand with them. Say all you want from the safety of the U.S. but you are a Coward and only talk out your Butt. Stand with Palistine on their territory and then you can stand with dignity among your Peers.
Report Post »SpeaknUp
Posted on July 7, 2011 at 12:54pmI stand with Israel. Those people seeking entry aren’t called “activists” for nothing. They have an agenda to stir up the Palestinian population in Israel, Gaza, and the West Bank. Israel has a right to maintain peace within its borders to the best of its ability.
Report Post »nick e l
Posted on July 7, 2011 at 12:43pmI stand with Israel. Good for them.. You cross into my territory and you get my b u ll it.
Report Post »RightUnite
Posted on July 7, 2011 at 12:42pmGood for Israel. They need to do what they need to do to keep their people safe.
Report Post »melthemean
Posted on July 7, 2011 at 12:36pmWhy are these pro-Palestinian people descending on Israel when they should be making reservations to stay somewhere in the middle east? Wouldn’t spending their “tourist” dollars in Syria or Libya be more beneficial to their cause?
Report Post »nysparkie
Posted on July 7, 2011 at 12:29pmGood for the Israel. Ya think if they wanted to fly, like they would want to, to Saudi Arabia or Iran, Syria that they could board the airline with an Israel passport? Plus who needs a bunch of NAZI’s flying into their country to cause mayhem and mischief. Let sulk and protest from their home country. OR you could load the plane up with MOSSAD agents and when it landed all there was on board was MOSSAD agents. Hey I know nothing….They must of stepped out for a smoke.
Report Post »momprayn
Posted on July 7, 2011 at 12:26pmAs a nonJewish Christian, I stand with Israel and support her. With all due respect, all who support the Palestinians are against God (Christian one), justice, peace…are deliberately ignorant, hateful, maybe just stupid, irrational, deliberately spiritually blind, foolish. And that’s just a few of the negative descriptive words. Israel knows what they’re doing and as usual, trying whatever they can to avoid bloodshed, violence. God bless Israel !!!!!
Report Post »affinnity
Posted on July 7, 2011 at 12:26pmWhy do they fly to Israel when they could easily enter the Gaza from Egypt? Because they are afraid of the Egyptians and Palestinians and they trust that Israel will take care of them.
Report Post »http://wikitravel.org/en/Gaza
NJTMATO
Posted on July 7, 2011 at 12:26pmBiBi is right! Why should you let people into your country when those people have made it quite clear that they want to destroy Israel and all the Jews?! I stand WITH Israel.
Report Post »Unbelievable
Posted on July 7, 2011 at 12:20pmI stand with Israel and their right to live peacefully.
Report Post »TexasConservativeCowboy
Posted on July 7, 2011 at 12:18pmas much as I disliked the new transformer movie it did show one thing we should all be aware of. the bad guys came in and said hey just do what we want and we will leave you be…..and as soon as the people did that, they tried to destroy everyone….hmmm sound familiar? and not to mention how many high up officials in the movie were on the side of the bad guys….sounds familiar too huh?
Report Post »SREGN
Posted on July 7, 2011 at 12:17pmWell done, Israel. We should learn from their border control methods.
Report Post »Kerri g
Posted on July 7, 2011 at 12:13pmThese people have already proven thier intentions from their behavior last year. These are not just protesters, they are radicles who have no business interfering in Israel’s decisions concerning their own country. Israel has the right to protect thier borders and their people. I stand with Israel.
Report Post »dsm
Posted on July 7, 2011 at 12:13pmIsrael has every right to decide who gets past their borders.
Report Post »Ronko
Posted on July 7, 2011 at 12:10pmGood job Isreal, keep up the good work
Report Post »crazyloon
Posted on July 7, 2011 at 12:09pmI stand with Israel
Report Post »wild72
Posted on July 7, 2011 at 7:25pmMe too!
Report Post »wild72
Posted on July 7, 2011 at 7:28pmWhy is it not posting my reply with the user I replyed to….hhhmmmm!
Report Post »mrsmileyface
Posted on July 7, 2011 at 12:08pmThats right Israel. Keep the bastards out.
Report Post »troopsupporter
Posted on July 7, 2011 at 12:08pmHard work and determination have made that country great and they won’t, and shouldn’t, let anyone take it away from them. People that don’t understand need to read some history instead of off-the-cuff comments.
Report Post »rose-ellen
Posted on July 7, 2011 at 5:00pmRead the book Orientalism by edward said.Long live a palestinian state and a legal 67border israel.Good, that in this century of the people[as oppossed to states and regimes[ people are defiying governments who are in collusion to oppress and occupy people[palestinians]That these governments are powerful is not new that people are showing solidaity with Palestinians is new and shows the propaganda campaign of the powerful racist zionist state is not omnipotent-as it has been in the past.
Report Post »lynnissmart
Posted on July 7, 2011 at 7:13pmRose- Ellen …..go away……go away……go away…..board the floitilla to Palestine!
Report Post »dphoadley
Posted on July 8, 2011 at 3:00amI prefer to read the Book of Joshua instead!! Especially the part where it says that 10 of us Israelis will pursue a 100 of you Palestinians, and a 100 of us Israelis will pursue 10,000 of you cowardly bleats!
Report Post »observerrage
Posted on July 7, 2011 at 7:39pmI’m with you Troopsupporter! Most don‘t realize that if it hadn’t been for the Israelis the decendants of Ishmael would likely have starved over the past 60 years. The jews came into an arrid waste land and turned it into one of the worlds leading producers of food exports worldwide. And to see just to what length the anti-Israel crowd will go to type pallywood in you search engine and do some reserch….find out the truth for a change instead of following the path of unadulterated imbeciles! God protect Israel!
Report Post »booger71
Posted on July 7, 2011 at 12:03pmIsrael knows how to run its borders, why can’t we say NO to all the middle eastern so-called students that we for seem for some reason to give thousands of visas to each year.
Report Post »inexiletill2012
Posted on July 7, 2011 at 12:03pmSeems to me that the “Pro” Palistinians will not defeat Israel by the gun but with sheer numbers of people flooding the borders
Report Post »cntrlfrk
Posted on July 7, 2011 at 12:00pmLooks like Obama and Soros are beating Glenn to the punch, and sending in all the Jew Haters early.
.
Report Post »Eric_The_Red_State
Posted on July 7, 2011 at 11:56amThere is nothing “Peacful” about any of this.
Report Post »Good for Israel to “Nip it in the bud” as Barney Fife would say.
KPEdwards
Posted on July 7, 2011 at 12:11pm@Eric
Report Post »So, what is the rationale behind not letting Noam Chomsky travel? I understand he doesn’t share the same political beliefs, but am I supposed to buy that he’s a threat to carry out illegal/violent acts? The world’s most depressed person – the man who makes Morrissey from The Smiths look chipper.
Dumpster Baby
Posted on July 7, 2011 at 11:55amI stand with Palestine.
Report Post »FstEti
Posted on July 7, 2011 at 12:05pmBecause…………..?
Report Post »Anonymous T. Irrelevant
Posted on July 7, 2011 at 12:50pmBecause some of these people are trouble-making, hate-mongering, cowards, who know that Israel is a peaceful nation. Why don’t these people fly to Libya and protest Ghadfi, or fly to Iran and protest human rights violations?
Report Post »MIBUGNU2
Posted on July 7, 2011 at 7:29pmBama has NO IDEA about Border Security, Not a CLUE !!!!
WPE….(worst president ever)……NOBAMA-2012
Report Post »mrsmileyface
Posted on July 7, 2011 at 12:07pmThen take yourself to Palestine. See how long they allow you to live. Ill pray for you.
Report Post »Now this is Art
Posted on July 7, 2011 at 12:16pmislam is a CULT at best, and a movement similar to nazism at worst. mohammed was a murderer, hate monger, and a pedophile. islam promotes the death of non-believers. hilter was a hate monger and murderer too. were there any “good” nazis? what about the people here in NJ that send their kids to hilter youth camps? you may think there are good muslims, however, you are sadly mistaken, we must extinguish islam, like we finally did with nazism. wake up america before its too late.
Report Post »Favored93
Posted on July 7, 2011 at 12:33pm@Now this is Art
you wrote.
islam is a CULT at best, and a movement similar to nazism at worst. mohammed was a murderer, hate monger, and a pedophile. islam promotes the death of non-believers. hilter was a hate monger and murderer too. were there any “good” nazis? what about the people here in NJ that send their kids to hilter youth camps? you may think there are good muslims, however, you are sadly mistaken, we must extinguish islam, like we finally did with nazism. wake up america before its too late.
All I can say is right on!!!
Report Post »muhamadhater
Posted on July 7, 2011 at 1:08pm@ now this is art..
Report Post »U are so right..we need to wipe this islam crap and its followers of the face of the Earth…there is no religeon that would allow child molesting…that alone should be enough to make people offended by islam…Matter of fact if u are muslim u are a child molester, or believe that u conceed that having sex with kids is ok in your mind!!! Shame on any person in this world that agrees with a religeon that allows grown men 2 have sex with children. u are sick and demented and should be wiped off the face with all the rest of the want to be child molesters who worship islam..
Islam is not a religeon its a cult that likes 2 have sex with chil;dren that all it!!! Now that is art people like us need to keep spreading the word about islam, I pray there are many more like us that see islam for what it is!!! I dont think i have ever read a story about satan having sex with a child or even have heard a story..and I didnt think anything could be worse then being the devil. I stand corrected…A man that would worship a prophet who rapes kids is lower then the devil 2 me!!! I stand with Isreal and the US, And stand against a cult of wanna be child molesters!!!v God Bess America and Isreal…Also may God bless the children or should I say potential victims of the cult known as Islam!!! My prayers are with U…and God olease forgive us for allowing Islam to get as far as it has, and may we wipe it off the face of your great Earth so very soon!!! God Bless
rose-ellen
Posted on July 7, 2011 at 5:10pmChild molesters? We can’t all be noble americans like those 12 noble jurors in Florida or that noble american Caycee or that noble american judge who allowed people on the jury who said they could not judge people.Americanism- the religion that really loves their children[except when they kill them behind closed doors where there are no witnesses so its like it never happened].
Report Post »Mannax
Posted on July 7, 2011 at 12:17pmThe troll is strong with this one.
Next time, better luck you have.
Report Post »Disc_Coastie
Posted on July 7, 2011 at 12:19pmI stand with Israel, with my sidearm!
Report Post »Attention2Detail
Posted on July 7, 2011 at 12:20pmGood for you. I personally think that any group who would elect terrorist leaders and advocates genocide is not worthy of my support, but you should let your conscience (or lack thereof) be your guide.
Report Post »Favored93
Posted on July 7, 2011 at 12:27pm@Dumpster Baby
Report Post »You Posted “I stand with Palestine”.
Then you stand with terrorists and the enemy of your own country and freedom!
You are a fool if you think these people want peace. They are a nation born in violence and have repeatedly called for the mass murder of Jews and Americans!
Stand with them if you want but do it over there we do not need people like you in this country.
Patriot Z
Posted on July 7, 2011 at 12:32pmprob why you keep falling…..but in the mean time. would you like a good deal on some palestinian rifles? never fired and only dropped once. we gettin some boats in soon too i hear. GOD BLESS ISRAEL…DOWN WITH CHILD RAPING FILTHY PALESTINIANS!
Report Post »dh37bv
Posted on July 7, 2011 at 12:35pmMay God have mercy on you.
Report Post »totallyfedup2
Posted on July 7, 2011 at 12:37pmPro Palestinian = anti Israel
Report Post »chouchourose
Posted on July 7, 2011 at 12:40pm@dumpsterbaby sounds like you belong in that dumpster. Genesis 12:3
Report Post »RURC
Posted on July 7, 2011 at 12:40pmThere is not really a Palestine and never has been. Israel has the right to exist and keep ALL their land by what ever means necessary.
Report Post »jason1974
Posted on July 7, 2011 at 12:47pm@ Dumpster Baby
Report Post »Posted on July 7, 2011 at 11:55am
I stand with Palestine.
if the bastards would stop shelling Israel then things might change till then , I stand with Israel
Bluefish49
Posted on July 7, 2011 at 12:50pmI know why you were left by a dumpster….Your mother took one look at you and said “This baby’s gonna be to stupid to keep”
Report Post »pjgroff61
Posted on July 7, 2011 at 1:24pmThere is no Palestine, the figment of a bunch of Racist, Arabs
Report Post »rose-ellen
Posted on July 7, 2011 at 5:25pmPrior to colonialism by the west and of course the creation of the zionist state[wwhere a jew from elsewhere could displace a native arab] the 3 faiths lived together in arab lands;there were and are arab jews, arab christians and arab muslims each with their seperate courts to respect their seperate ethical codes.Even today in israel arab jews are discriminated by european or american Jews.Arab jews miss their pre zionist arab countries of origen.The racist zionist state and western colonialism caused the divisions between these 3 religions[arabs and jews traveled together to spain and were expelled together.Cordova-the name of the "mosque at ground zero" was named for the city where religious tolerence of those 3 faiths thrived[not the false revisionist anti-arab narrative given by the press that cordoba stands for islamic triumphalism] more lies from the genocidal anti-arab propaganda media campaign.
Report Post »observerrage
Posted on July 7, 2011 at 8:11pmRose Ellen, the depth of darkness that is you, and the blood lust you defend from the murder of countless millions since the imposition of the lie that is islam on all humanity, will be your eternal reward. You will never sleep or have peace and the screams of the innocents whose lives you and your islamic imps have murdered will infest your eternity and the only taste you will ever have in your mouth will be the bitter blood of your murdered victims. Change your thinking because a stalk of corn with disease is tossed into fire and forgotten at the harvest, so it is with the disposition a human beings soul at the end of life. You are a murderer, a liar , and a deceiver I pity you. The koran states that it is an honor for a good muslim to lie for the cause of allah. It also states the false honor of mutilating people who are not like you and your muslim imps. Sadly, as a muslim you refuse to seek truth and light and though I do not wish to see any soul in torment-you are already there and don’t realize it. Truely sad…….
Report Post »honestynow
Posted on July 7, 2011 at 1:30pmThe “Palestinian” people have been used by neighbors in the middle east, exploiting them for their own purposes. Why have these fellow muslim neighbors not welcomed them into their own countries with open arms? People need to read the entire history before blaming Israel for everything. Jews were pushed out of the countries being created at the same time as Israel- without payment for their land/goods. Israel did pay those people who left. The muslim countries urged those muslims within the new Israel’s borders to flee, because they were going to attack the new Israel.
Report Post »jessieH
Posted on July 7, 2011 at 1:33pmI stand with Israel!
Report Post »PER100
Posted on July 7, 2011 at 1:52pmIs it true that Ala is gay? Muhammad deserves protection under Gay Civil Rights. she should not have to flee from Mecca just because of sexual preferance.
Report Post »Grady Curve
Posted on July 7, 2011 at 2:26pmthen your a dumb-ass who does not know history at all…. your are on the wrong side and do not belong here, please leave…
Report Post »independentvoteril
Posted on July 7, 2011 at 2:47pmIf you stand with PALESTINE your on the WRONG comment board .. but thanks for sharing..
Report Post »mikedy
Posted on July 7, 2011 at 2:53pmIt is sad yo stand with terrorists. Can you explain why you support them over Israel?
Report Post »PASSIONFORCHRIST
Posted on July 7, 2011 at 3:11pm@Dumpster Baby:
Report Post »Your comment fits your name!! ISRAEL DOES NOT NEED ANYONE TO WATCH OVER THEM! GOD HAS BEEN WATCHING THEIR BACK AND FRONT! Even through the horrible times. PEOPLE BETTER BE READY, & I’M NOT TALKING ABOUT PHYSICAL. BETTER CHOOSE, REJECT OR BELIEVE & RECEIVE IN CHRIST IT’S THE ONLY WAY OUT!
wild72
Posted on July 7, 2011 at 7:24pmYou can stand with my 7.62 full metal jacket in your mouth to:)
Report Post »I Stand With Israel
Posted on July 7, 2011 at 8:44pmI can fully understand why your mother left you in that dumpster.
Report Post »cassandra
Posted on July 7, 2011 at 9:19pmhey dumpster go live there i‘m sure you’ll be real happy, I stand with Israel, too bad obummer can’t learn how to secure our borders, oh wait he dosn’t want to
Report Post »Charbet
Posted on July 7, 2011 at 9:37pm@Dumpsterbaby:
Report Post »I stand with Israel. Always will.
dphoadley
Posted on July 8, 2011 at 2:52am@Dumpster Baby;
Report Post »So, you like to identify yourself with babykillers! Show me a Palestinian, and I’ll show you an infanticide murderer!
banjarmon
Posted on July 7, 2011 at 11:55amIsrael says it has the right to determine who passes through its borders, even if it is BO our fake potus.
Report Post »Sheepdog911
Posted on July 7, 2011 at 12:11pmGood for Israel. Every nation has the right and obligation to control who enters its borders and expel anyone it does not want inside its borders. Now if only the U.S. would take up the same concept.
Report Post »drphil69
Posted on July 7, 2011 at 12:29pmImagine the problems we WOULD NOT have if we secured our (southern) border….
Report Post »EgoBrain
Posted on July 7, 2011 at 12:53pmIsrael is practicing their right, something the rest of the world has forgotten they also have.
Report Post »