Israeli authorities on Monday reportedly prevented the head of the Palestinian Federation of Chile Anwar Makhlouf, who holds Chilean citizenship, from entering the country through the King Hussein (Allenby) Bridge border crossing between Jordan and the occupied West Bank.
Hebrew-language news sites reported that the Israeli Minister of Media and Strategic Affairs Gideon Saar made a statement in response to the denial of entry to Makhlouf — who is well known for his activism in the Boycott Divestment Sanctions (BDS) movement — saying that “the days when BDS activists used to work here freely have long gone and we will not allow enemies of state in.”
#Israel forces harassed Palestinian worshippers in Occupied #Jerusalem during #palmsunday procession cause they raised #Palestine flags.#BDS pic.twitter.com/VEyWjiJC3h
— Dr. Basem Naim (@basemn63) April 9, 2017
Neither a spokesperson from the Israeli Airports Authority or the Israeli Security Agency was immediately available for comment.
Last month, chairman of the London-based Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC) Hugh Lanning was denied entry into Israel and deported back to the UK, just one week after Israel passed the controversial “BDS ban” law.
According to the Jerusalem Post, Israel denied entry the British activist on the grounds that “the organization Mr. Lanning heads is one of the leading anti-Israel delegitimization and BDS organizations in Britain, and one of the largest in Europe,” Israel’s Interior Ministry’s immigration authority and the Ministry of Public Security and Strategic Affairs said in a joint statement.
California community college passes Israel divestment resolution #BDS https://t.co/GQIY2by0sy
— BDS Movement (@BDSmovement) April 10, 2017
Right-wing Israeli lawmaker and Minister of Public Security Gilad Erdan said at the time that “whoever acts against Israel should understand that the rules of the game have changed. No sane country would allow entry to key boycott activists working to harm the country’s core interests and lead to its isolation.”
The BDS movement was founded in July 2005 by a swath of Palestinian civil society as a peaceful movement to restore Palestinian rights in accordance with international law through strategies of boycotting Israeli products and cultural institutions, divesting from companies complicit in violations against Palestinians, and implementing state sanctions against the Israeli government.
BDS has gained momentum over the years, with activists targeting companies that act in compliance with Israel’s illegal occupation of East Jerusalem and the West Bank.
Omar Barghouti: Message of gratitude and hope https://t.co/5PPvOHc3cS
— BDS Movement (@BDSmovement) April 8, 2017
Israel’s ban applies to foreigners who call for a boycott of Israeli institutions and illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territory.
(Ma’an, PC, Social Media)
