nearly 600 international activists...gear up for Friday fly-in protest to Tel Aviv airport
- via Gaza Youth Breaks Out (GYBO) -
TOMORROW FLY-TILLA at Tel Aviv airport !!
As nearly 600 international activists from gear up for Friday fly-in protest to Tel Aviv airport where they'll state clearly they are coming to Palestine and then join the activities.
.............
Fly-in Organizers
PNN - Palestine News Network - 06.07.11 - 12:44
“We strongly stress that we campaign for a just peace and for the freedom and security of both the Palestinian and the Israeli people”
Bethlehem - PNN - As nearly 600 international activists from all walks of life gear up for Friday fly-in protest to Tel Aviv airport, Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu along with Police Inspector General Yochanan Danino and Public Security Minister Yitzhak Aharonovitch toured the airport on Wednesday morning to discuss preparations to counter the protest.
On Wednesday organizers of the Campaign “Welcome to Palestine” which include 40 Palestinian and international organizations issued a press release saying that there aim is to show that Palestinians are still under Israel’s occupation.
“The aim is to show that, if our governments do not seem to be interested in the fate of these people who have been under occupation for far too long, there are men and women from all countries, who are ready to bring them moral support, using a week of their holidays to go and meet them,” said the press release.
Sami Awad, Director of Holy Land Trust, one of the local NGO’s organizing the campaign, told PNN that “Welcome To Palestine” is based on the faith in nonviolent resistance and it’s important for activists not to use violence against the Israelis when they arrive.
“There are several measures they (activists) will take in the event of harassment by the occupation forces, such as solidarity sit-ins, not adhering to orders and refuse to travel, without any use of violence,“ explained Awad.
So far, according to organizers the fly-in includes 350 French citizens in addition to Belgian, British, German, Italian and American participants. The itinerary, if activists go through Tal Aviv airport, will include particular exchanges with the Al-Rowwad Centre of the Aïda refugee camp (Bethlehem), help with olive tree planting around Ramallah, also a solidarity visit to the organizers of the Jenin Freedom Theatre whose manager, Juliano Meir Khamis, was brutally assassinated recently.
Israeli Army Radio reported that keeping the airport functioning as usual will be the most important goal for security officials as activists arrive, most of whom will likely be difficult to identify. During a meeting with several heads of Israeli security services at the airport Netanyahu said, “Every country has the right to prevent the entry of provocateurs into its borders.”
“We strongly stress that we campaign for a just peace and for the freedom and security of both the Palestinian and the Israeli people. Such a peace necessarily means the end of the occupation of the Palestinian Territories and the respect of international law. There are many Israelis who share this point of view,” the organizers stated on Wednesday.
The plan, say the organizers, is for activists to arrive in Tel Aviv and state clearly they are coming to Palestine and then join the activities.
“All the participants decided of one accord that, having nothing to hide, and coming with totally peaceful intentions, they would inform the Israeli authorities of our wish to go to the West Bank immediately after our arrival at Tel Aviv airport.”
In past years Israel used to deport, deny enter, or restrict visa time to internationals that work, live, or visit the Palestinian territories in an attempt to illegalize the visit of those areas or the interaction with Palestinians. The Israeli army controls are borders crossing into the West Bank and the only way to fly in is via the Tal Aviv international airport since the Israeli army destroyed the only Palestinian airport located in the Gaza Strip back 2002.
Fadi Yakub, PNN Editor, contributed to this article.
http://occupiedpalestine.wordpress.com/2011/07/06/airflotilla-fly-in-organizers/
(many thanks to Gaza Youth Breaks Out)
TOMORROW FLY-TILLA at Tel Aviv airport !!
As nearly 600 international activists from gear up for Friday fly-in protest to Tel Aviv airport where they'll state clearly they are coming to Palestine and then join the activities.
.............
Fly-in Organizers
PNN - Palestine News Network - 06.07.11 - 12:44
“We strongly stress that we campaign for a just peace and for the freedom and security of both the Palestinian and the Israeli people”
Bethlehem - PNN - As nearly 600 international activists from all walks of life gear up for Friday fly-in protest to Tel Aviv airport, Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu along with Police Inspector General Yochanan Danino and Public Security Minister Yitzhak Aharonovitch toured the airport on Wednesday morning to discuss preparations to counter the protest.
On Wednesday organizers of the Campaign “Welcome to Palestine” which include 40 Palestinian and international organizations issued a press release saying that there aim is to show that Palestinians are still under Israel’s occupation.
“The aim is to show that, if our governments do not seem to be interested in the fate of these people who have been under occupation for far too long, there are men and women from all countries, who are ready to bring them moral support, using a week of their holidays to go and meet them,” said the press release.
Sami Awad, Director of Holy Land Trust, one of the local NGO’s organizing the campaign, told PNN that “Welcome To Palestine” is based on the faith in nonviolent resistance and it’s important for activists not to use violence against the Israelis when they arrive.
“There are several measures they (activists) will take in the event of harassment by the occupation forces, such as solidarity sit-ins, not adhering to orders and refuse to travel, without any use of violence,“ explained Awad.
So far, according to organizers the fly-in includes 350 French citizens in addition to Belgian, British, German, Italian and American participants. The itinerary, if activists go through Tal Aviv airport, will include particular exchanges with the Al-Rowwad Centre of the Aïda refugee camp (Bethlehem), help with olive tree planting around Ramallah, also a solidarity visit to the organizers of the Jenin Freedom Theatre whose manager, Juliano Meir Khamis, was brutally assassinated recently.
Israeli Army Radio reported that keeping the airport functioning as usual will be the most important goal for security officials as activists arrive, most of whom will likely be difficult to identify. During a meeting with several heads of Israeli security services at the airport Netanyahu said, “Every country has the right to prevent the entry of provocateurs into its borders.”
“We strongly stress that we campaign for a just peace and for the freedom and security of both the Palestinian and the Israeli people. Such a peace necessarily means the end of the occupation of the Palestinian Territories and the respect of international law. There are many Israelis who share this point of view,” the organizers stated on Wednesday.
The plan, say the organizers, is for activists to arrive in Tel Aviv and state clearly they are coming to Palestine and then join the activities.
“All the participants decided of one accord that, having nothing to hide, and coming with totally peaceful intentions, they would inform the Israeli authorities of our wish to go to the West Bank immediately after our arrival at Tel Aviv airport.”
In past years Israel used to deport, deny enter, or restrict visa time to internationals that work, live, or visit the Palestinian territories in an attempt to illegalize the visit of those areas or the interaction with Palestinians. The Israeli army controls are borders crossing into the West Bank and the only way to fly in is via the Tal Aviv international airport since the Israeli army destroyed the only Palestinian airport located in the Gaza Strip back 2002.
Fadi Yakub, PNN Editor, contributed to this article.
http://occupiedpalestine.wordpress.com/2011/07/06/airflotilla-fly-in-organizers/
(many thanks to Gaza Youth Breaks Out)