Israel Stops 100 International Activists From Entering West Bank From Jordan
Israeli authorities refused entry on Sunday to about 100 pro-Palestinian activists, including three Americans, attempting to cross overland to the West Bank from Jordan, according to their leader.
French organizer Olivia Zemor of the “Welcome to Palestine” campaign said Israeli authorities asked no questions and stamped “entry denied” into the passports without an explanation.
Israel’s Defense Ministry denounced the protesters as “provocateurs and known troublemakers.”
Earlier, Zemor told reporters in the Jordanian capital, Amman, that the group aimed to deliver one ton of school supplies to Palestinian children in refugee camps in Bethlehem.
In a statement late Sunday, the Israeli Defense Ministry called the effort a “failed publicity stunt.” It said Israel exercised its right to deny them entry.
“There are no restrictions whatsoever on bringing in school supplies,” the statement said. “If these activists sincerely wanted to bring in school supplies, they had countless options to do so. There are no shortages of school supplies in the West Bank.”
