2011 July 8th: UPDATE: MOST INTERNATIONALS SUCCESSFULLY BOARD FLIGHTS TO TEL-AVIV

Friday 8th July 2011: NO EMBARGO

Scottish Palestine Solidarity Campaign: Media Release

UPDATE: MOST INTERNATIONALS SUCCESSFULLY BOARD FLIGHTS TO TEL-AVIV; WARNED TO EXPECT IMMEDIATE DEPORTATION ON ARRIVAL.

DESMOND TUTU CALLS FOR ARMS EMBARGO AGAINST ISRAEL

 UK citizens are amongst those who have managed to board flights to Tel-Aviv despite publicising their intention to visit Bethlehem in Palestine’s West Bank.

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 Palestine. The UK Foreign Office has arranged consular assistance in Tel-Aviv.

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 Palestine’ were “taken outside by police where they were arrested and attacked by bystanders.”  In recent days Israeli commentators have expressed concern at the heavy-handed approach and ‘hysteria’ of the Israeli government in preparing for the arrival of internationals.

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 Israel to deport us on arrival. If we are denied entry, the whole world will see that Israel’s siege is not limited to Gaza, but surrounds the West Bank as well.”

Amongst the British participants are retired university lecturers, and a retired nurse from England and a community worker from Scotland.

Val Kitchen, 68, from Tonbridge and a participant of the ‘Welcome to Palestine’ initiative, said “I was determined to go again, I want to make a difference in some small way.  I have never done anything like this in my life but in the past 10 years I have made 3 pilgrimages to the region and seen for myself the difficulties, conditions and constraints under which people live.”

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.

Israel’s Jerusalem Post reported that openly acknowledging an intention to visit the West Bank “is likely to ensure… deportation”.

Organisers of the Palestine visit chose the date of the 'fly-in' to coincide with the 7th anniversary of the International Court of Justice ruling on 9th July 2004 that Israel's West Bank wall, that today almost completely encircles the city of Bethlehem, is illegal.  Palestinian civil society organisations have today called for a military embargo on Israel.  Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Nobel Peace Laureate, said “I endorse this call for an arms embargo because we desire peace and justice for Palestinians and Israelis through non-violent ways.”

ENDS

Notes for editors:

SEE previous press release with background here:

http://www.scottishpsc.org.uk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=3656;2011-july-7th-israels-reaction-to-bethlehem-visit-exposes-west-bank-blockade&catid=255&Itemid=100345

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 Israel. The text above has been corrected.

1. “Welcome to Palestine” is a French initiative that now has participation from across Europe and the USA.

The English-language section of the French website can be accessed here: http://bienvenuepalestine.com/?page_id=232

According to the group:

Israel’s standard practice of deporting anyone that they believe supports Palestine means than human rights activists invariably have to lie in order to pass passport control at Tel-Aviv.

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 Israel:

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:

www.scottishpsc.org.uk

and Twitter @scottishpsc

7. Jerusalem Post, 4th April 2011:

“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 Israel's borders.”

Haaretz, Wednesday 6th July 2011:

“Israel deports five ahead of anticipated influx of pro-Palestinian activists”

http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/israel-deports-five-ahead-of-anticipated-influx-of-pro-palestinian-activists-1.371776

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:

“Israel prepares for pro-Palestinian airport protest”

http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=402478

10. Haaretz, Thursday 7th July 2011:

“Israel instructs foreign airlines to prevent departure of 300 pro-Palestinian activists”

http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/israel-instructs-foreign-airlines-to-prevent-departure-of-300-pro-palestinian-activists-1.371988

11. Jerusalem Post report of arrest of Israeli Activists:

Jerusalem Post, Friday 8th July 2011

“Aharonovitch: 100 activists expected to land in Israel”

http://www.jpost.com/DiplomacyAndPolitics/Article.aspx?id=228484