Christian peacemaker denied entry to Israel
-12/3/04
A member of Christian Peacemaker Teams member has been barred as he tried to enter Israel and f
Christian peacemaker denied entry to Israel
-12/3/04
A member of Christian Peacemaker Teams member has been barred as he tried to enter Israel and forcibly returned to Amsterdam
Greg Rollins. was denied entry to the country at Ben Gurion airport in the early morning hours of March 11.
“I’m surprised, we have a very strong court order , it seems the Israeli security people at the airport made a mistake,” said Sani Khoury, with the law firm of Kuttab and Khoury. “Our settlement is in writing and it has the force of a court order. It says that there are no restrictions on Greg’s entering Israel, any past restrictions in Interior Ministry computers must be removed, previous (attempted deportation) proceedings will not be held against him – no restrictions.”
Rollins was the centre of a case before the Israeli High Court last year when he challenged an Israel military order barring all Israelis and internationals from Palestinian-controlled areas. The order was rarely enforced but had a chilling effect on the work of Israeli and international peace groups.
Rollins was arrested while observing the detention of a large number of Palestinian men in Hebron, and the ruling on his case held that the military order was too broad and should not be enforced absent any specific illegal activity.
Kuttab and Khoury have asked for a reversal of the deision not to allow him into the country, from the Israeli Interior
Ministry. If Rollins is not re-admitted, they plan on a “contempt of court” procedure against the Interior Ministry.
Campaigners say this case will have an important effect on the continuing ability of human rights monitors to operate in the West Bank and Gaza.
Christian peacemaker denied entry to Israel
-12/3/04
A member of Christian Peacemaker Teams member has been barred as he tried to enter Israel and forcibly returned to Amsterdam
Greg Rollins. was denied entry to the country at Ben Gurion airport in the early morning hours of March 11.
“I’m surprised, we have a very strong court order , it seems the Israeli security people at the airport made a mistake,” said Sani Khoury, with the law firm of Kuttab and Khoury. “Our settlement is in writing and it has the force of a court order. It says that there are no restrictions on Greg’s entering Israel, any past restrictions in Interior Ministry computers must be removed, previous (attempted deportation) proceedings will not be held against him – no restrictions.”
Rollins was the centre of a case before the Israeli High Court last year when he challenged an Israel military order barring all Israelis and internationals from Palestinian-controlled areas. The order was rarely enforced but had a chilling effect on the work of Israeli and international peace groups.
Rollins was arrested while observing the detention of a large number of Palestinian men in Hebron, and the ruling on his case held that the military order was too broad and should not be enforced absent any specific illegal activity.
Kuttab and Khoury have asked for a reversal of the deision not to allow him into the country, from the Israeli Interior
Ministry. If Rollins is not re-admitted, they plan on a “contempt of court” procedure against the Interior Ministry.
Campaigners say this case will have an important effect on the continuing ability of human rights monitors to operate in the West Bank and Gaza.