Israel’s Reaction to Palestinian Nonviolence Threatens Israeli Democracy
Saturday 30 July 2011
by: Joseph Dana,
Truthout | News Analysis
On Friday, 8 July 2011, in the heavily air-conditioned international arrivals terminal of Ben Gurion Airport outside of Tel Aviv, dozens of press photographers clamored to get the best shot of an Israeli activist from Tel Aviv holding a small sign which said, "Welcome to Palestine." Inside the terminal, Israeli police and immigration authorities were busy processing hundreds of pro-Palestinian activists who had arrived from various European cities with the expressed intention of traveling to the occupied West Bank, a trip that normally requires the permission of the Israeli military.
In the days leading to the event, the Israeli press ran stories about the European activists who were challenging Israel's control over the West Bank by demonstrating their inability to openly travel there. Panic characterized the headlines of virtually all the country's newspapers as the latest in a series of nonviolent efforts by Palestinians and their supporters approached. Despite the hysteria kicked up by the press, none of the activists presented a real challenge to Israeli security. In fact, many were jailed for days in cockroach-infested and sweltering cells before being deported to their home country. Given the media gravity of the event, it is difficult to understand why Israel would treat the passengers, including journalists, so badly except as part of the overreaction to the event as a challenge to Israeli sovereignty in the West Bank.
(More here.)
by: Joseph Dana,
Truthout | News Analysis
On Friday, 8 July 2011, in the heavily air-conditioned international arrivals terminal of Ben Gurion Airport outside of Tel Aviv, dozens of press photographers clamored to get the best shot of an Israeli activist from Tel Aviv holding a small sign which said, "Welcome to Palestine." Inside the terminal, Israeli police and immigration authorities were busy processing hundreds of pro-Palestinian activists who had arrived from various European cities with the expressed intention of traveling to the occupied West Bank, a trip that normally requires the permission of the Israeli military.
In the days leading to the event, the Israeli press ran stories about the European activists who were challenging Israel's control over the West Bank by demonstrating their inability to openly travel there. Panic characterized the headlines of virtually all the country's newspapers as the latest in a series of nonviolent efforts by Palestinians and their supporters approached. Despite the hysteria kicked up by the press, none of the activists presented a real challenge to Israeli security. In fact, many were jailed for days in cockroach-infested and sweltering cells before being deported to their home country. Given the media gravity of the event, it is difficult to understand why Israel would treat the passengers, including journalists, so badly except as part of the overreaction to the event as a challenge to Israeli sovereignty in the West Bank.
(More here.)
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