2011 JULY 11TH: ISRAEL TO DEPORT UK BETHLEHEM TRAVELLERS IMMINENTLY
Mon 11th July 2011; NO EMBARGO
Scottish
Two of the twelve
Around 700 internationals had intended to travel to
They are set to be flown to London Luton at 1820
Before leaving for
Speaking by phone while waiting for their flight to leave Tel Aviv tonight, Napier, chair of the Scottish Palestine Solidarity Campaign said, “Some of the men and women being detained started a hunger strike this morning because we were denied any information about any charges against us and were also denied a telephone call over the entire period we were in prison. But we are all in high spirits.
According to the New York Times, Israeli commentators have “criticized the country’s leaders for overreacting and for broadcasting an image of insecurity and panic.”
London-based pro-Palestinian activist groups, including London BDS (Boycott Divestment and Sanctions against
Organisers of the
ENDS
Notes for editors:
Background, previous media releases, and updates here:
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 ICJ ruling on the illegality of
3. For Desmond Tutu’s support of an arms embargo on
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, was 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
4b. 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
5. Details of the
6. Updates available at: www.scottishpsc.org.uk and
Twitter @scottishpsc : http://twitter.com/#!/scottishpsc
7. Jerusalem Post on honesty ensuring deportation:
“700 pro-Palestinian activists plan to land in Ben-Gurion”
http://www.jpost.com/DiplomacyAndPolitics/Article.aspx?id=227768
8. Quote from New York Times reference criticism of Israeli leaders’ overreaction:
“
New York Times, 8th July 2011
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/09/world/middleeast/09mideast.html
9. Details of Jerusalem Post reporter, Larry Derfner’s arrest:
“Mobocracy at
http://israelleft.com/2011/07/08/mobocracy-at-ben-gurion-airport/
10. Jerusalem Post report of arrest of Israeli Activists:
“Aharonovitch: 100 activists expected to land in
http://www.jpost.com/DiplomacyAndPolitics/Article.aspx?id=228484
11. 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:
“
12. 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
13. Haaretz, Thursday 7th July 2011:
“