They couldn't make it by sea so they tried by air. That didn't work either, so the next step is....tunneling? Israel blocked the attempt to invade by air and the activists, at least for now have no options to get their humanitarian aid to those poor, starving refugees living in squalor in the worlds largest concentration camp. I wonder if these same activists, once in Gaza would take advantage of the new shopping mall, where one can get designer items, watch a movie, let the kids play in their own playland, sip a gourmet coffee or maybe buy a plasma TV.
From the BBC July 8 by Yolande Knell
Israel blocks pro-Palestinian 'flytilla' activists
Palestinian groups have criticised Israel after activists planning to visit the West Bank were barred from flying and others were deported.
Israeli officials said airlines blocked some 200 blacklisted travellers from flying to Tel Aviv.
The Welcome to Palestine group says the action shows restrictions on access to Palestinian areas.
The so-called "flytilla" comes after Greece blocked an aid flotilla trying to break the Israeli blockade of Gaza.
Two American women originally involved in the flotilla were among the first to be deported from Ben Gurion Airport after flying in from Athens to try to join the latest protest.
A group from Switzerland was also expected to be expelled.
Airlines with flights from France, Germany and Switzerland prevented ticket-holders from boarding planes after being notified by Israel that they would be refused entry.
Many passengers turned away decried what they said was an abuse of power. Israel argues it is ensuring public order at its main gateway to the world.
Palestinian civil society organisations who make up Welcome to Palestine expected 600 to 1,000 foreign activists to take up their invitation to head to the West Bank for a week
They say they have planned a full itinerary of peaceful activities, starting with events in Bethlehem and Ramallah on Saturday for those able to make it there.
Activists were urged to inform Israeli immigration of their intention to visit only Palestinian areas on arrival at Ben Gurion airport knowing that this could see their entry blocked.
Palestinians have no airport of their own and Israel controls the borders of the occupied West Bank.
Security alert
Ben Gurion airport increased security in recent days with hundreds of extra police officers deployed to prevent any demonstrations from taking place.
Several left-wing Israelis who tried to raise signs saying "Welcome to Palestine" were quickly arrested on Friday.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had ordered authorities to "act with determination, while trying to avoid unnecessary friction" with anyone taking part in a provocation, a statement from his office said.
At a news conference in Bethlehem, Welcome to Palestine representatives said that legal action would be taken to challenge Israel's response.
"People coming to Palestine have the right to state their destination and they have the right to access unless they really pose a security threat to Israel," said Sami Awad, director of the Holy Land Trust.
"International solidarity is growing around this. We want to expose once and for all the injustice done by the Israeli government to the Palestinians and those who support us."
Read it all
No comments:
Post a Comment