ISRAELI POLITICIANS accused the government of “hysteria” and “overkill” as 600 police were deployed at Ben-Gurion international airport yesterday ahead of the expected arrival of hundreds of pro-Palestinian activists, in what has been dubbed the “flytilla”. With the Gaza-bound maritime flotilla blocked by Greek coastguards, attention switched to the Welcome to Palestine campaign.
Between 600 and 800 left-wing activists from Europe and north America, most of them French, plan to fly into Israel this weekend for solidarity visits to various Palestinian locations in the West Bank and east Jerusalem.
Fearing protests at Ben-Gurion airport, Israel declared known activists would be sent home. Police said more than 300 activists had already been identified ahead of arrival. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered the police to stop any protest. “I’ve ordered all agencies to act with determination to prevent provocations, and also to try and prevent unnecessary confrontations. Every state has the right to prevent entry to provocateurs and to those who aim to disrupt public order.”
Among the 600 police deployed at the airport were undercover units and special forces. A special detention hall was set up to process up to 200 activists who will be held until plane seats are available to take them home. Special signs were put up around the airport forbidding photographs.
Organisers denied there was any plan for disruption at the airport. Adam Keller, from the left-wing Israeli group Gush Shalom, which is helping to co-ordinate the action, said the activists are committed to non-violence and intend to tell Israeli passport control they have come to visit Palestine. He said the activists plan to visit Palestinian families, protest sites along Israel’s West Bank barrier and the east Jerusalem neighbourhood of Sheikh Jarrah, where a weekly vigil is held against the expropriation of Palestinian homes.
Last year, when nine Turkish activists were killed as Israeli commandos stormed the MV Mavi Marmara, there was severe criticism in Israel that the authorities had been unprepared.
Opposition politicians said this time they were overreacting to prevent similar criticism.
A Greek coastguard boat yesterday intercepted a small French boat with 12 activists, the third flotilla ship to be prevented from sailing to Gaza to challenge Israel’s blockade. The Dignity was detected in the early morning near Crete as it was refuelling at sea.
It now looks unlikely any of the nine flotilla ships will be able to set sail for Gaza and most of the activists have already returned home. Despite frustration, activists said their mission had not been a complete failure as they succeeded in raising international awareness.