ISRAEL: Police arrest six Israeli pro-Palestinian supporters at Ben Gurion airport

Record ID: 397126

  • Title: ISRAEL: Police arrest six Israeli pro-Palestinian supporters at Ben Gurion airport
  • Date: 9th July 2011
  • Summary: SLATE INFORMATION
  • Embargoed: 24th July 2011 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Israel, Israel
  • Country: Israel
  • Topics: Crime,Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA5NS2AITOBUG72BN6JOAN5YYA8
  • Story Text: Israeli police arrested six Israelis who demonstrated against the clampdown of pro-Palestinian activists at Ben-Gurion airport on Friday (July 8).
    Shouting 'Free Palestine' the pro-Palestinian supporters were led away to a police van outside of the terminal. One male protester was punched by a member of the public as he was waiting to be placed in the police van.
    Some 200 pro-Palestinian activists have been barred from leaving foreign airports for Israel, where authorities are poised to deport any others who manage to fly in, Israeli police said.
    Passengers arriving in Israel said that flights appeared normal, as police patrol the transport complex.
    After Greece prevented a flotilla that tried to sail against the Gaza Strip blockade this month, Israel said international protesters were mobilising to flock to Ben-Gurion Airport, near Tel Aviv, in a challenge to the restrictions on accessing the occupied West Bank. Palestinian peace organisations denied on Thursday (July 7) that the activists were connected with the unsuccessful flotilla.
    Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu denounced them as provocateurs. Citing concern for public order at Israel's main gateway to the world, or that the foreigners would reinforce Palestinian demonstrations, his government ordered a dragnet.
    According to Israel's biggest newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth, this included issuing European airlines with a list of 342 suspected activists who would be turned back at Ben-Gurion, with the carriers expected to bear the cost of returning them.
    In French and German airports, scores of pro-Palestinian activists said they had been kept off their flights to Israel.
    One Israeli activist at the airport said the world supports a free Palestinian state.
    "What is obvious is the world supports a free Palestine, a Palestinian state, and they have every right like every other group of people," the unidentified woman said from outside the arrival hall of Ben Gurion airport.
    Police say they will remain on alert within the airport for the remainder of the weekend
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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