2011 July 8th: UPDATE: MOST INTERNATIONALS SUCCESSFULLY BOARD FLIGHTS TO TEL-AVIV
Friday 8th July 2011: NO EMBARGO
Scottish
UPDATE: MOST INTERNATIONALS SUCCESSFULLY BOARD FLIGHTS TO TEL-AVIV; WARNED TO EXPECT IMMEDIATE DEPORTATION ON ARRIVAL.
DESMOND TUTU CALLS FOR ARMS EMBARGO AGAINST ISRAEL
Most airlines appear to have ignored calls from Israeli authorities to refuse travel to around 700 European and US participants of the “Welcome to Palestine” initiative that aims to highlight Israel’s effective blockade of the West Bank.
Israeli authorities have threatened to deport all participants on arrival at Tel-Aviv, but participants say they will appeal deportation and the attempt to deny them entry to
Israeli media reports numerous arrests of Israeli supporters of the initiative who had gone to the airport to welcome the participants. The Jerusalem Post reports that pro-Palestinian activists who had held up signs inside the terminal saying ‘Welcome to
Before boarding his Heathrow to Tel-Aviv flight, Mick Napier, the UK co-ordinator of the initiative, said, “We are pleased that all British citizens have been able to board their flights, and are united in our commitment to appeal any attempt by
Amongst the British participants are retired university lecturers, and a retired nurse from
Val Kitchen, 68, from Tonbridge and a participant of the ‘Welcome to
Protests are taking place at French airports after some 50 of the French participants were stopped from boarding, but elsewhere only one or two participants are reported to have been denied access to their flights.
Organisers of the
ENDS
Notes for editors:
SEE previous press release with background here:
An earlier version of this media release wrongly attributed a quote by Walden Bello to Desmond Tutu, who have both called for an arms embargo against
1. “Welcome to
The English-language section of the French website can be accessed here: http://bienvenuepalestine.com/?page_id=232
According to the group:
However, having nothing to hide, and coming with totally peaceful intentions, we have decided that we are no longer willing to lie in order to do something that no other state would consider illegal.
Government agencies have been informed, and the Israeli authorities have been forwarded all information on our intentions.
Contrary to claims that we aim “to spread chaos at Tel Aviv airport”, our only aim is visit Palestinian families, share their daily life for a week, visit the towns, villages and refugee camps, discover the difficulties encountered by their inhabitants, and experience their culture and expectations.
2. The date of the 'fly-in' was chosen to coincide with the 7th anniversary of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruling in 2004 that Israel's West Bank wall, which today almost completely encircles the city of Bethlehem, is illegal.
The ICJ ruling can be found here: www.icj-cij.org/docket/files/131/1677.pdf
3. Tutu’s support for arms embargo on
See Global BDS Movement:
http://www.bdsmovement.net/activecamps/military-embargo
4a. The UK co-ordinator of the initiative is Mick Napier, who, along with the majority of international participants, is due to arrive in Ben Gurion Airport on Friday July 8th.
Mick Napier is the chair of the Scottish Palestine Solidarity Campaign, and can be contacted on:
00 44 (0)7931200361
5b. Sofiah Macleod is the UK-based contact for press enquiries.
Sofiah Macleod: + 44 (0)7958002591 or + 44 (0)131 620 0052 or + 44 (0) 7401631658
Email: july8@scottishpsc.org.uk
6. Updates will be available on:
and Twitter @scottishpsc
7.
“700 pro-Palestinian activists plan to land in Ben-Gurion”
http://www.jpost.com/DiplomacyAndPolitics/Article.aspx?id=227768
8. Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netenyahu “has ordered Public Security Minister Yitzhak Aharonovitch to exert all efforts to prevent an infiltration into
Haaretz, Wednesday 6th July 2011:
“
9. Statement from Netenyahu’s office:
"This planned event is a continuation of the attempts to undermine Israel's right to exist and to attempt to breach its borders and sovereignty by sea, land and by air," according to the MAAN news agency.
Maan News Agency, Tuesday 5th July 2011:
“
http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=402478
10. Haaretz, Thursday 7th July 2011:
“
11. Jerusalem Post report of arrest of Israeli Activists:
“Aharonovitch: 100 activists expected to land in
http://www.jpost.com/DiplomacyAndPolitics/Article.aspx?id=228484