‘Flytilla’ Report: 3 Activists Make it Past Israeli Security, as Dozens Turned Away at the Airport
- Posted on April 15, 2012 at 5:12pm by
Erica Ritz
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Israel’s Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu commented on the wave of “flytilla” activists trying to enter Israel Sunday, saying, “Why did they come to Israel, the only real democracy in the Middle East?”
He suggested the activists turn to Syria, Iran, Gaza, or almost any other country in the Middle East instead, where the human rights violations are far graver.
“If they want to check the issue of human rights, they should go to Syria – maybe they will help stop the killing of thousands of innocents. They should go to Iran and stop the stoning of women. They should go to Gaza and stop the practice of using children as human shields for terrorists who fire rockets on our citizens,” he continued.
“[And] after they do that educational tour, they should come to Israel and we can talk with them about what they learned about how the Middle East and how it really is.”
Protesters had 'Welcome to Palestine' Signs in the Israel airport (Photo: Reuters)
The “flytilla” activists planned to “expose” Israel’s tight control of movement in and out of the Palestinian territories by holding a news conference with roughly 1,500 people in the West Bank town of Bethlehem.
Three people made it to the conference. Israel’s security at Ben-Gurion airport turned away several dozen.
Israel’s Public Security Minister Yitzhak Aharonovitch praised police for enabling the airport to function normally on one of its busiest days. Security and media had expected up to 2,000 unruly activists, and prepared for it.
“As you can see, things are working normally at Ben-Gurion,” the minister said, priasing European countries and airlines for refusing to allow hundreds of activists to even board aircraft bound for Israel.
If a passenger arrives in a country without a valid visa and is turned away, the cost for their return flight falls on the airline.
Due to the fact that many activists were unable to board said flights to Israel, or were turned away at the airport, small protests have sprung up in various European cities and airports.
“Today, the checkpoint is in Paris!” several demonstrators shouted at Roissy-Charles de Gaulle airport.
Israeli authorities echoed Netanyahu’s statement in a letter they distributed to activists as they were turned away:
Dear Activist,
We appreciate your choosing to make Israel the object of your humanitarian concerns.
We know there are were many other worthy choices.
[...]
But instead you chose to protest against Israel, the Middle East’s sole democracy, where women are equal, the press criticizes the government, human rights organizations can operate freely, religious freedom is protected for all and minorities do not live in fear.
We therefore suggest that you first solve the real problems of the region, and then come back and share with us your experience.
Have a nice flight.
The pro-Palestinian activists who successfully made it to the press conference maintain that they “are not criminals” and should be able to “fight peacefully” for what they believe in.
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Comments (55)
FloridaFarmGirl
Posted on April 15, 2012 at 8:22pmNetanyhau is the man!! Wish we had a leader like that over here! Keep up the great work sir, we stand with Isreal!! Does make you wonder why these cowards didn’t go to Syria though! (Not).
Report Post »MCDAVE
Posted on April 15, 2012 at 11:07pmGood for you Israel..we need to do the same..keep the trouble makers out…
Report Post »lukerw
Posted on April 16, 2012 at 6:33amThe point of Chaos Protests… is… to force a Government to spend extra Money upon the Activity… to gain News access… and to test Security & Public reaction!
Report Post »trinklefinder
Posted on April 15, 2012 at 8:17pmWhen will we have a President who is the man Bibi is.
Report Post »cookcountypatriot
Posted on April 15, 2012 at 7:49pmnetanyahu is a real leader…infact,he,s the only leader on the worlds stage i would stand behind..obama is a sock puppet next to this man.
Report Post »Mr. H.
Posted on April 17, 2012 at 12:41pmI’ll second that nomination.
Report Post »team1blazer
Posted on April 15, 2012 at 7:46pmBenjamin Netanyahu is a true leader, leading (by example) a country that is under constant attack from outside it’s borders. What a contrast to Barack Obama who is leading the attack on America from within.
Report Post »LeadNotFollow
Posted on April 15, 2012 at 7:31pm…
Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, seems like a caring, honest, straight forward, wise leader.
Wish I could say the same for our President.
The Israelis have been persecuted long enough. Their allies (including the U.S.) need to step up and help them.
Report Post »majasdad
Posted on April 16, 2012 at 9:20amHow have they been persecuted? Ever since the establishment of Israel in 1948 they’ve been given a free pass by the world community to do what they will with the Palestinian people.
Report Post »christos
Posted on April 15, 2012 at 7:13pmTo bad these idiots have never read the Bible,,,wasting their time,,,Israel does not and never has belonged to the Palestinians EVER.Oh and they wouldn’t stop there they want everyone to believe the way they do or off with your Head,,,that’s what their book says,,,these liberal groups think they are so friendly are Delusional,,,if they tout they are so smart what is the History/Pattern of this Culture—dis obey them and off with your Head,,the liberals Hate conservatives so much they don’t care,,,No Thanks I like my Head attached to my body,,,their is no dialogue with irrational people,,only agenda,,,Cease from telling the Jewish people squat…they listen to and walk hand in hand with +JESUS+GOD+ ,,,,you are the enemies of +JESUS+GOD+ HE+ alone will defend the Jewish people,,,you will see.
Report Post »DaveCCC
Posted on April 15, 2012 at 6:48pmI have a lot of respect for the Isralies and have worked with them in the past as an American on official duty. They have the courage to confront their enemy and now ours (US). God bless them. Can I say that here?.
Report Post »kickagrandma
Posted on April 15, 2012 at 7:14pmYes, THANK GOD, you can say that here.
Report Post »DEFCON4
Posted on April 15, 2012 at 7:26pm@DAVE Yes you can sir. Thanks for the input!
Report Post »duoneb
Posted on April 15, 2012 at 6:30pmOk this is clearly a way to cause trouble and they or the brainless ones are doing it. Why didnt they pick Beirut to fly into? If the Media jumps all over this one they are part of the NEW MOVEMENT “THE MINDLESS ONES” just like the arian brotherhood LOL what a joke.They are doing this for a peaceful thing, yet they only cause trouble. Isreal needs to arrest all of them, strip them all of their passports, money clothes, except the ones on their back and give them to the MINDLESS ONES!
Report Post »Zurich
Posted on April 15, 2012 at 5:56pmWhy do we call them activists? These people are plain haters! They are not even sincerely worried about the Arab Palestinians! They just hate Israel and the Jewish People. By now, with all the sources we have to get enough information about history, everybody should know what the truth is. So there is no excuse that these useful idiots are just ignorants. They very well know why they are flying to a country to insult the people of that country. On top of that they are cowards. They would never confront Hamas or Fatah or visit sites where Arab Palestinians are tortured on a daily basis for fighting against the Terror Regime of Abbas. We have to stop giving them the aura of having a political motivation. The activists need to be defined as haters and the terrorists need to be defined as murderers.
Report Post »spirited
Posted on April 15, 2012 at 5:55pm“are NOT criminals”?
should be able to “FIGHT peacefully” ??
for what THEY believe in ???
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~>trouble MAKERS
Yah, yah, yah- –Use the laws of open societies against it. —That ‘s the ticket!!!
>Congratulations; and continued Blessings Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and Israel…
Report Post »canadianproud
Posted on April 15, 2012 at 5:46pmNetanyahu could teach Obama a few things, on how to defend his country. Israel rocks.
Report Post »chips1
Posted on April 15, 2012 at 5:58pmObama IS defending his country. It‘s America that isn’t being defended.
Report Post »dutchy
Posted on April 16, 2012 at 7:22am@chips for brains, B Hussain O isn’t defending us, he’s feeding us to the sharks. He is de-militarizing, de-arming, de funding our national security! He is treats our allies like Israel like enemies, and treats our enemies like the muslim brotherhood like trusted friends! Where have you been? Is your head in the sand?
Report Post »dutchy
Posted on April 16, 2012 at 7:25am@chips , maybe I misunderstood your sarcasm, BHO is a Islamic sympathizer, while putting us in very real danger.
Report Post »beckheadbob
Posted on April 15, 2012 at 5:46pmI would like a list of companies who back conservative causes, I feel we must show our support to those sho support our ideas. Obviously Glenn’s advertisers, Hannity, fish’s would be a start.
Report Post »tzion
Posted on April 15, 2012 at 5:43pmHey look at the bright side, those who actually got in are now “the 1% (that got through security)”. The rest can rejoin OWS.
Report Post »spirited
Posted on April 15, 2012 at 5:56pmWonder how their visit will go for them.
Report Post »Rayblue
Posted on April 15, 2012 at 5:39pmThe “activists” are reassessing their maneuvers today.
Report Post »Their next move will be to forcibly enter the second grade classroom right after nappy time.
Mark0331
Posted on April 15, 2012 at 5:39pmLiberals are so twisted in their minds that they can read that letter and hear Netanyahus words and still spin it in their heads that Israel is ‘evil’….they really are brainwashed.
Report Post »vox_populi
Posted on April 15, 2012 at 5:35pm“But instead you chose to protest against Israel, the Middle East’s sole democracy,”
Well, except Turkey. and Lebanon. Iraq. hopefully Libya and Egypt, soon (although I suppose you could claim that’s “North Africa,” not the Middle East, but whatever).
“religious freedom is protected for all”
Unless you’re Muslim.
“and minorities do not live in fear.”
Unless they’re one of several Arab ethnicities, particularly Palestinian and Bedouin.
Report Post »jacques.daspy
Posted on April 15, 2012 at 6:02pmLebanon, howa-bout the Hezbollah folks, they don’t sound very democratic at all. Turkey, they trying to get out of secular and go Sharia?
Report Post »vox_populi
Posted on April 15, 2012 at 6:59pm“Lebanon, howa-bout the Hezbollah folks, they don’t sound very democratic at all.”
They don’t? They’re a political organization which has won or lost elections based on popular vote, and have thus far abided by those results.
“Turkey, they trying to get out of secular and go Sharia?”
Having a socially conservative leader is not the same as ‘going Sharia,’ but nice try. By the way – if being a non-secular religious state disqualifies a nation from being democratic, then Israel can be discounted as well.
Report Post »Gonzo
Posted on April 15, 2012 at 5:34pm3 people? Netanyahu rocks! Welcome to Israel, now get the hell out!
Report Post »Anamah
Posted on April 15, 2012 at 5:50pmWell done Israel!!! You are an incredible nice country.
Report Post »Tony Sanchez
Posted on April 15, 2012 at 5:33pmJust Imagine.. if the US and Europe keep pushing toward Islamic, Socialistic, Entitlement State…. Israel could be the last free country in the world.
Report Post »mrsmileyface
Posted on April 15, 2012 at 5:31pmIm amazed that even 3 made it thru. Your slacking Israel.
Report Post »spirited
Posted on April 15, 2012 at 5:59pmMaybe the three are useful idiots.
>Question and answer time for the three (sounds like a “B” rated movie title. No?^>
Report Post »tzion
Posted on April 15, 2012 at 5:27pmApparently some people’s watches are running over 6 decades slow.
Report Post »sndrman
Posted on April 15, 2012 at 5:23pmThe pro-Palestinian activists who successfully made it to the press conference maintain that they “are not criminals” and should be able to “fight peacefully” for what they believe in. wonder if they could protest against their gov’ts in their own countries? wonder how protesting against the syrian gov’t is going?
Report Post »jacques.daspy
Posted on April 15, 2012 at 6:07pmIf they wanna got to Gaza, why not request a Visa to Gaza. The cave tours might be ready for tourist season. It‘s gettin’ out of Gaza that every body wants”
Report Post »marine249
Posted on April 15, 2012 at 5:21pmThe obamacrats are like weeds they pop up every were
Report Post »hersey10
Posted on April 15, 2012 at 5:20pmWould really love to know , who’s footing the bill for these deadbeats .
Report Post »chazmo
Posted on April 15, 2012 at 8:30pmCome on.. Who do you think… This fool.. http://www.rawstory.com/rs/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/000_Par6806770-615×345.jpg
Report Post »CatB
Posted on April 15, 2012 at 5:20pmReal airport security .. what a concept!
FIRE THE TSA!
Report Post »sndrman
Posted on April 15, 2012 at 5:25pmbut but but the tsa like the whole touchy feely freedom they have espically when they go after our little children ohhh it’s about not profiling…..
Report Post »tzion
Posted on April 15, 2012 at 5:29pmNot only that, they actually profile people based on their background. Who’d have thought it? Actually taking greater caution around the demographics most prone to violence…they should patent that one.
Report Post »CatB
Posted on April 15, 2012 at 5:30pmLOL .. it would also be nice to have some border security ;-)
Report Post »TSUNAMI-22
Posted on April 15, 2012 at 5:37pmSeems to me that the TSA is nothing less than a precursor to the Obama Neo SS. Obama said he need a civilian force funded as well as the military.
…or am I just talking crazy? Call it the HSS. The Homeland Secret Service.
Report Post »possom
Posted on April 15, 2012 at 5:47pmIf they fire the tsa, where would we be able to get a cheap thrill on a saturday night without buying them dinner first?
Report Post »sndrman
Posted on April 15, 2012 at 5:19pm“[And] after they do that educational tour, they should come to Israel and we can talk with them about what they learned about how the Middle East and how it really is.” message for his holiness obuma HUSSAIN…..
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