UK activists in jail for Christmas
An Italian peace activist was hospitalised yesterday after refusing to be deported from Israel. Vittorio Arrigoni, 34, was injured yesterday evening when Israeli authorities tried to deport by force him and two other detained UK residents, according to Israeli lawyer Gaby Lasky.
He was returned today to the detention centre at Tel Aviv airport. The three are being held after they were refused admission to Israel to attend a peace conference in Bethlehem. They now face the prospect of Christmas in an Israeli jail.
The three are experienced peace campaigners who were on their way to the “Celebrating Non-Violence” conference that starts on 27 December in Bethlehem. But when they tried to pass through Ben Gurion airport near Tel Aviv on December 20, when the authorities detained them.
Only quick legal action by an Israeli lawyer prevented the three from being forcibly deported yesterday morning. They must now await the outcome of an appeal hearing, which will not take place until Christmas Day at the earliest.
All three have worked previously as international observers in the Palestinian territories. All are 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 fighting deportation: “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.”
Many prominent peace campaigners support Access for Peace in the Middle East including Jews for Justice for Palestinians, Nonviolence International, Clare Short, George Monbiot, Angie Zelter, Jeremy Hardy and European Jews for a Just Peace.
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