Minnesotans detained in and deported from Israel return home and speak out

[annm4peace]

Source: Indy Media Twin Cities

Israeli security forces refused entry to three U.S. solidarity activists for attempting to participate in a human rights delegation. They were treated as criminals, while their only goal was to learn about the reality of life for the Palestinian people. Sarah Martin, member of Women Against Military Madness, and Katrina Plotz, of the Anti-War Committee, refused voluntary deportation, and the U.S. Embassy in Tel Aviv informed us that they were forcibly deported Sunday evening. The third traveler, Karen Sullivan also of the Anti-War Committee, was already deported and returned home to Minneapolis on Sunday.
Sarah and Katrina are expected to return home on a flight arriving at 12:37pm. A press conference with them, their families and supporters, will happen at 1pm in the baggage claim area of the Minneapolis/St. Paul airport (Lindbergh Terminal).

Thousands of people have been denied entry by Israel, especially those who wish to see the Palestinian Territories. Not only international solidarity activists, but millions of Palestinian refugees living all over the world are prevented from returning to their homeland. Israel's policy of denying entry to people who support the Palestinian struggle and want to report on the situation, is one aspect of a campaign to isolate the Palestinian people from the world. This campaign includes hundreds military checkpoints inside the Palestinian Territories, blocking humanitarian shipments into the Gaza Strip, and the building of a massive Apartheid Wall. Palestinians experience repression every day.

Precisely because the official Israeli view receives much more widespread coverage in the U.S. media than does the impact of these policies on the lives of Palestinians, it is important that people like Sarah, Katrina and Karen be able to go and report the situation accurately, and show the Palestinian people that the world has not completely abandoned them.

In spite of its special relationship with the U.S., the Israeli government showed no regard for the rights of American visitors, whose only crime was to express solidarity with the people of occupied Palestine. Karen reported that she was escorted onto her departing flight by an armed Israeli guard, and that she was interrogated upon re-entering the U.S. The AWC secured council for Sarah and Katrina, but they didn’t have access to speak to their lawyer and exercise their full right to appeal their deportation. Advocates for human rights should not be treated like criminals.

Their case resulted in an outpouring of support from across the country. This will be their first public statements in the United State since their unjust detention on Saturday, August 1.

Read more: http://twincities.indymedia.org/2009/aug/minnesotans-detained-and-deported-israel-return-home-and-speak-out

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3 "hikers" arrested and detained in Iran/Iraq Boarder. It is all over the news


2 woman arrested, jailed and then forcibly detained in US "friendly" Israel and the news is silent

hmmmmmmm.

[ecoalex51]

1. The US ignores Palestinian Human Rights Violations

This issue shows the blindness of the US pro Israel cabal.The US being a champion of Human Rights is a joke.

[Name removed]

3. Deleted sub-thread

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[yodermon]

6. Look out ecoalex51, Ian David is Watching You.

careful what you say.

[question everything]

11. Here is a suggestion: why won't you go to Gaza

and see first hand the violations of human rights by your friends the hamas?

[bahrbearian]

2. Book marked

[harmonicon]

4. a friend of mine was refused a visa to teach in Palestine

He'd been teaching music there - for free - for a few years. Last time he was going to go back the Israelis refused him a visa. They refused a man a visa because he was going to to to Palestine to teach music for free to young people. The world is safer now.

[annm4peace]

7. that is very sad, that must have been and is hard on your friend

[harmonicon]

8. not so hard on him, but I just imagine the students who expected him to be there

He just went on with his life in Berlin (where he lives otherwise) and did other jobs; he wasn't doing it for the money, even if there was some. I just imagine when I was a kid and how much I loved studying music and going to music camps and things like that.... to take that away from a group of people just seems downright cruel. There were kids looking forward to this.

[knixphan]

9. punishing music is low.

[knixphan]

5. K&R

[question everything]

10. Israel has a right to refuse entry to anyone it chooses

just like every one else.

Since they refused to leave, they were treated as criminals, as they should, as they would in any other country.

If they want to visit Palestinians they can travel to Amman or to Cairo. And then they can enter Gaza through the channels where arms are smuggled.