Jew Banned from Israel for Supporting Palestinians

[Larkspur]

http://news.scotsman.com/latest.cfm?id=3190330

A Jewish American has been denied entry to Israel because she belongs to a pro-Palestinian group, her lawyer said today.

Jamie Spector, 32, a social worker from San Francisco, arrived in Israel on Saturday to protest the West Bank separation barrier Israel is constructing. She has been held in detention since defying the order to leave, said her lawyer.

The separation barrier was ruled illegal in an advisory opinion on Friday by the International Court of Justice in The Hague, Netherlands. Israel dismissed the non-bonding ruling as one-sided, charging that it encourages terrorism.

I salute Jamie Spector for her courage to stand up for justice.

[Jim Sagle]

1. And I salute the Israeli government for standing up for its own existence.

:thumbsup:

[Crunchy Frog]

2. I salute Jamie Spector

and this is the first and last time that I will ever post anything in this forum.:)

[papau]

3. "members place themselves to prevent army operations" - seems a bit

more than a free speech issue.

:-)

[Larkspur]

6. Rachel Corrie, who was murdered by the IDF, was a member of ISM

and placed herself between and American-made, IDF operated, Catapilar bulldozzer and the home of a Palestinian medical doctor. She did it numerous times before being murdered by an IDF soldier.

ISM is to Israel what the abolitionists were to pre-Civil War America in the 19th century.

[drdon326]

4. Anyone other country would have arrested her or worse...

she's damned lucky she didnt try that in saudi arabia
or sudan....where they would have broken her legs then
arrest her.

[Larkspur]

5. Don't worry, Israel is quickly descending into the moral abyss that

Saudi Arabia is in, unless of course Israel is already there.

[Djinn]

7. isn't that the same argument used by

the apologists for the torture in Abu Ghraib - ie that Saddam was worse??

[bigbillhaywood]

9. Actually, I have to agree with drdon on this one (it may be the first and

last time I agree with him on anything). Jamie Spector was entering Israel to disrupt Israeli government operations (in my opinion, a laudable goal under the specific circumstances). But any nation-state would not permit a foreigner to enter their country if they knew her purpose was to disrupt state/military operations. And drdon is correct, in many (maybe even most) countries she would have been given a long prison sentence or executed for attempting such a thing.

I support Jamie Spector, but you can't fault Israel for doing what any nation-state would do under the circumstances.

[The Magistrate]

10. You Begin To Impress Me, Mr. Haywood

[bigbillhaywood]

11. Don't get impressed too quick there, Magistrate.

I'm still a revolutionary partisan that calls for the unconditional military defense of the Palestinian people. And I stand solidly in support of Djinn on every issue of substance on this board. And I solidly oppose drdon on every issue of substance on this board.

But I simply want to shift the focus from criticizing Israel from doing what any other nation-state would do because I feel our side has more solid criticisms of the particular policies of Israel. I just wish this damn debate wasn't locked in this dungeon, where both sides are firmly entrenched in their positions. The general audience on DU needs to hear this debate because they don't hear it in the mainstream media. All they hear is the side of US and Israeli imperial aggression. The effect of the strict policy of keeping I/P issues locked down here effectively silences our side, because DUers hear the other side all the time (including from the Democratic Party).

I honestly sometimes think I am a fool wasting my time down here, but I'm too weak to help myself from debating issues I find of interest, no matter how pointless.

[The Magistrate]

15. There Is No Need To Magnify Differences, Sir

You have displayed a laudable consistency in standards, and honesty of expression, which makes you at the very least an honorable opponent....

[bigbillhaywood]

17. Um, well, thanks. nt

[number6]

18. stick around bigbillhaywood .....

we don't agree on everything, but we probubly agree on the Palestinian
right to fight for there land, their tactics are all wrong, but
they have the right to fight .....:)

yea too many rules, but everybody wastes time sometime ....

[Djinn]

12. agree

but the same could have been said about people who entered Apartheid South Africa to protest and disrupt or to people who entered Iraq under Hussein to help the Southern Shiites (waiting for the inevitable screams that Israel is not SA or Iraq - which totally misses the point, NOR is ISrael SUdan or Saudi) but some things are worth protesting - not all laws should be upheld.

[bigbillhaywood]

13. I know, I know

but I just thought it shouldn't be expected any state will allow people to enter and disrupt their operations (especially military operations). In fact, the more oppressive the state, the less likely they are to allow it.

As to your point: "but some things are worth protesting - not all laws should be upheld."

I agree totally. I agree with what this woman was trying to do. I agree with MLK's sentiment that there is a moral obligation to violate unjust laws. But we can't expect Israel or any nation-state would behave in any other way with regards to allowing foreign agitators on to their soil.

Look, my political philosophy is that the nation-state is an institution that should be done away with altogether, but as I don't see that happening tomorrow, I believe in dealing with realities on the ground.

In any case, I think this is a trifling point, and I apologize for bringing it up to begin with. I had some second thoughts about posting it because I felt it might break solidarity. I should have heeded those reservations. In any case, the damage has been done and I just wanted to clarify what I meant to you. I really don't think this issue is a big deal in the grand scheme of things.

[Djinn]

14. agree totally

no apology needed I agree that it's not surprising that Israel should wish to block this woman's entry - guilty of a little devil's advocacy there, and to be honest just HAVE to argue with certain posters here!.

Also waiting on the day people stop tying their allegiance to lines on a map caused by ancient geological forces (in the case of "my" country) or to those drawn throughout history by invaders/conquerors and colonisers, also, unfortunately, can't see it happening anytime soon.

[drdon326]

16. Flying Pig Moment !!

BBH...I take back......MOST of what I thought about you. lol

[Forkboy]

8. Way to aim high!