No Room in Bethlehem for Peace Campaigners
Devlish | 28.12.2005 16:37 | Palestine | Social Struggles | World
Peace workers denied access to Bethlehem
In the early hours of December the 20th the Israeli authorities at Tel Aviv airport stopped a group of international observers who were en route to a Christmas Non Violence conference in Bethlehem.
After lengthy interrogations, two UK citizens were allowed to enter the country but three were denied entry on ‘security grounds’. The three internationals, from South Africa, Italy, Australia, intend to challenge this decision in the Israeli courts. Now they have spent Christmas in jail, rather than in Bethlehem.
The group are experienced peace campaigners who were on their way to the “Celebrating Non-Violence” conference to be held in the Palestinian town of Bethlehem early next week. All five have worked previously as international observers in the Palestinian territories.
Spokesperson Charlotte Carson states: “Our colleagues are being stopped from attending a conference about non-violent activism because they are non-violent activists. Clearly, Israel is afraid of the power of non-violence.”
“If we get our freedom, we will take all our rights!”, Walaa', 16, Azzoun
The detained are all members of Access for Peace in the Middle East, a pressure group that intends to challenge the criminalisation of peace workers and the deliberate isolation of Palestinians from international observation and assistance.
Robin Horsell, a UK-based South African who formerly campaigned against apartheid gave his reasons for making this legal challenge:
"Israel gives spurious grounds for deportation or refusal of entry. But the real reason is our support for human rights and justice. We hope this legal challenge sets a precedent that in future will allow international citizens full access to Palestinian lands."
This campaign is supported by many prominent peace campaigners, including Jews for Justice for Palestinians, Nonviolence International, George Monbiot, AngieZelter, Jeremy Hardy and European Jews for a Just Peace.
Notes:
Since 2000, the Israeli authorities have denied entry to the Occupied Palestinian Territories to hundreds of international citizens who intend to work with grassroots organisations such as the International Solidarity Movement, Christian Peacemaker Teams, the International Women’s Peace Service, and many other NGOs that provide humanitarian assistance to the occupied civilian population.
Israel calls itself ‘the only democracy in the Middle East’, yet its practice of obstructing the passage of hundreds of observers and peace activists calls its democratic credentials into question.
According to the Palestinian Red Crescent organisation (the equivalent of the Red Cross), during the last five years 3754 Palestinian men, women and children have died from Israeli military action. The vast majority of these casualties have been civilians.
Devlish
Comments
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Wipe Israel off the Map
01.01.2006 19:38
Ultra Anarchist
Denial of Truth
03.01.2006 09:23
If it's that "clear", why is it that "two (UK) citizens were allowed to enter the country"?
Is it because you are lying?
"Clearly", if I may use that term, your article is propaganda not rooted in facts. It is this behaviour that Israel takes umbrage to, and with very good reason. Israel craves non-violence, which has been wholly absent from the Palestinian side. Instead, Israel receives terrorism and murder, aided and abetted by "useful idiots" such as the International Solidarity Movement and spinoff groups.
This group has lied in the past about their objectives and there is no reason for Israeli security to take at face value the claims of someone at a border security check that they are "here for a conference" and not in fact to interfere with legal military or police activity.
See:
See:
TH
Cynical Snakes
03.01.2006 09:28
Bobby
Troll scum.
03.01.2006 12:21
No Fundies Allowed
welcome to indymedia uk
03.01.2006 14:40
It's no wonder the rest of the indymedia network won't meet or talk with you guys as long as your Jew hater articles (nicely dressed up as Israeli pieces of course) are published.
I suppose all articles critical of the ISM and its conflict tourists are removed for the same reason.
Remember the Holocaust - first they came for the Jews .......
disgusted
Transparent
04.01.2006 17:25
"
Civilians with AK 47s and qassam missles.
The lie is not in the numbers, but in the telling
Non-Violent? Or Non-Genuine.
06.01.2006 12:23
It is not entirely "clear" however that the participants in such a conference are in fact anti-violence, as opposed to anti-Israel.
Witness the involvement of the "International Solidarity Movement" members in supporting and providing direct material support to Palestinian terrorist groups.
Furthermore, by your own admission, the Israelis did let some of the 'activists' through in the end.
Israel has every right to be highly skeptical of these people on past form. Israel is not in the slightest bit 'afraid' of 'non-violence'. In fact, the opposite is the case. However, Israel is 'afraid' (i.e. disinterested) in allowing into the country people claiming to be in favour of 'non-violence' whilst in fact giving aid and assurance to those who seek precisely the opposite.
TH
Bethlehem Non-Violence
06.01.2006 12:29
As for Bethlehem, Christians are leaving this holy city in droves since the PAlestinian intifada. About 3,000 people, 10 percent of the city's Christian population, have left since the second intifada began on the West Bank five years ago. Bethlehem, once a 90 percent Christian town, now only claims only about 20,000 of the 60,000 Arab residents – about 35 percent. The number drops day by day, month by month, year by year. Churches are sacked (Church of the Nativity) and Mosques built where they stood, shops trashed and Christians abducted. Is the problem in Bethlehem really Israel? I don't think so.
TH
Peace activists?
17.01.2006 11:45
Judy
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