Foreigners arrive in Israel as part of 'Welcome to Palestine' fly-in protest; activists from Canada, Portugal and France denied entry. In Paris, dozens protest Israel entry ban: 'France new Israeli settlement?'

Lihi Rothschild, an Israeli activist said "It's unfortunate that European airlines are cooperating with this violation of human rights by the State of Israel - and we consider them accomplices to the crime."
Palestinian fly-in organizers said a number of foreign activists have arrived in Bethlehem. They said Turkish and Swiss authorities prevented pro-Palestinian activists from boarding flights to Israel, but added that more than 20 were able to board flights to Israel at Geneva's airport.

Latest Update: 04.15.12,

PARIS – Twenty-seven pro-Palestinian activists who arrived in Israel as part of the "Welcome to Palestine" fly-in protest have been denied entry to the country.



Three people who arrived aboard an El Al flight from Paris Sunday morning were questioned at a booth set up by the Interior Ministry at Ben Gurion Airport. They were subsequently released and allowed entry into the country.


A Portuguese national who arrived in Israel aboard a Royal Jordanian flight was denied entry, as was a Canadian citizen who arrived on an American Airlines flight. The two were expected to be deported.



Four French women were denied entry to Israel at around noon. The four, who arrived on a flight from Switzerland, are expected to be deported.



Airport officials said a total of 27 activists, including 15 French nationals, have been denied entry as of 2 pm. In addition, they said, four Israelis were held for questioning after waving signs in support of the fly-in protest and trying to disturb the peace.



Police officials said hundreds more activists are expected to arrive in Israel throughout the day.




Earlier, dozens of activists gathered at Paris' Charles de Gaulle Airport protest their "exclusion" from Israel. Some of the foreign activists received notices alerting them to the fact that their flights to Israel had been cancelled while others managed to issue their boarding cards but are not sure they will be able to reach the Palestinian Authority. During the protest they called out: "Today the barrier is here," "Israel get out, France is not yours" and "Let us reach Palestine."



A sign waved by the protesters read, "France, a new Israeli settlement?"



The flytilla organizers briefed activists from around the world through social networks on methods of challenging the airports and governments and how to reach the airports with boarding cards in hand.


The fly-in activists received precise directions explaining how to act should the Israeli authorities refuse to allow them entry into Israel. The activists were told to leave a copy of their passport with a family member and to take the telephone numbers of local government officials in their countries.



The activists were also briefed on the rules and regulations at Israel's airport in order to make it easier for them to deal with arguments against allowing them to enter Israel.



Lihi Rothschild, an Israeli activist and one of the organizers of the 'flytilla,' said Israel's "willingness to arrest people who did not commit any crime and say they only came to visit Palestine is a hysterical response."



Speaking to Ynet, she said, "It's unfortunate that European airlines are cooperating with this violation of human rights by the State of Israel - and we consider them accomplices to the crime."



Palestinian fly-in organizers said a number of foreign activists have arrived in Bethlehem. They said Turkish and Swiss authorities prevented pro-Palestinian activists from boarding flights to Israel, but added that more than 20 were able to board flights to Israel at Geneva's airport.





Internal Security Minister Yitzhak Aharonovitch on Saturday expressed satisfaction with the cooperation of foreign airlines who he said are preventing those identified by Israel as pro-Palestinian activists from boarding their flights.








http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4215933,00.html