Israel Arrests Pro-Palestinian Activists; Dozens More Detained

Israel Arrests Pro-Palestinian Activists; Dozens More Detained

by Zach Waksman
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

TEL AVIV, Israel – On Friday, hundreds of pro-Palestinian activists began to fly into Tel Aviv’s Ben-Gurion International Airport.  The literal mass flight, nicknamed the “flightilla” in reference to a flotilla of aid ships that was denied access to Gaza, was intended to protest the Israeli government’s tendency to bar such people from entering the country.  As of Saturday, six activists, all Israeli citizens, have been arrested by national police, and over 100 others, mostly from Europe, remain in Israeli custody, awaiting deportation to their home countries.

Pro-Palestinian activists wave signs that read Welcome to Palestine in English, Hebrew, and Arabic during a small demonstration at Tel Avivs Ben-Gurion International Airport
Pro-Palestinian activists hold up signs that read "Welcome to Palestine" in English, Hebrew, and Arabic during a small demonstration at Ben-Gurion International Airport in Tel Aviv. (Photo Courtesy of Reuters)

The activists intended to take part in a “Welcome to Palestine” campaign, which was first announced in Paris on March 9 in response to a call from 15 Palestinian civil society organizations on the West Bank.  During the campaign, they would “pay a visit to Palestinian families, share their daily life for a week, visit the towns, villages and refugee camps, discover the difficulties encountered by their inhabitants, [and] also their culture and expectations.”  Because Palestine has no airport, they had no choice but to fly into Ben-Gurion. Though many who wish to visit Palestine lie about their purpose for coming in order to avoid trouble, participants in the initiative stated their intentions to the French Foreign Office, who then forwarded that information to Israeli authorities.

Despite clearly stating the group’s peaceful purpose to Israel months in advance, the country’s immigration department considered participants to be a “security threat.”  Believing this to be the case, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu began preparations for their arrival.  Hundreds of security personnel were deployed to the airport.

The six who were arrested had caused a disturbance in the arrivals area of Terminal Three.  They also held up signs that read “Welcome to Palestine.”  According to police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld, “Five males and one female are being questioned.”

As another part of the preparations, the Interior Ministry sent airlines in other countries a list of hundreds of names of people, Israel said were “pro-Palestinian radicals” who intended to create chaos at Ben-Gurion.  Those who arrived in Israel would be refused entry, so the airlines were asked not to let them on board their planes.  According to Foreign Ministry spokesman Yigal Palmor, the no-fly list was compiled by following the organizers’ websites and members’ social networking.  “We did not need the Mossad,” he said.  “It was all out there in the open.”

The decision was not met with kind words from the would-be activists.  One of the more notable incidents happened at Paris’s Charles de Gaulle Airport, where 50 people planned to board a Lufthansa flight, but were banned from boarding.  They then gathered in the terminal and repeatedly yelled “Boycott Israel,” while police observed.  “Charles de Gaulle Airport is under Israeli occupation.  We are peaceful people and have no interest in causing disorder at Ben-Gurion Airport,” Olivia Zemour, leader of one of the organizations that helped put the “flightilla” together, told Israel Radio.  A similar scene took place in Geneva, where 30 people were denied permission to board.

Those who did make it Tel Aviv did not fare much better.  At least two planes were diverted to a different terminal, where suspected activists were taken to a holding area for questioning.

Israel believed it was justified in detaining and denying entry to the activists. Interior Minister Eli Yishal gave credit to the Immigration and Population Authority for preventing their entry.  “We will take a firm hand against anyone disregarding [our] laws, and like any other sovereign state, we will use any means at our disposal to prevent people intent on breaking the law from entering the country,” he said.  Prime Minister Netanyahu added that every country had the right to prevent the entry of potential “provocateurs.”

Despite the setback, organizers still claim victory.  At a news conference in Bethlehem, Palestinian organizer Fadi Kattan said that he was “pleased – sadly pleased” with the Israeli reaction.  In his point of view, it revealed the country’s strong anti-Palestinian policies.

Laura Durkay, an American activist who was being held in a pre-interrogation area at Ben-Gurion with at least 30 other people, was also satisfied.  “What we want is to get into Palestine, but if that’s not going to happen, then the longer we stay here, the more the media will keep paying attention to our story,” she said.  “We want to show how the Israeli government treats people trying to travel to Palestine.”

For more information, please see:

Jerusalem Post — Pro-Palestinian activists plan week of protests in West Bank — 10 July 2011

Ma’an News Agency — Israel deports two activists, 118 still held — 10 July 2011

Al-Jazeera — Israel clamps down on fly-in protest — 9 July 2011

Jerusalem Post — Yishai commends ‘Flightilla’ security forces at B-G airport — 9 July 2011

Arutz Sheva — Six Expelled at Airport; 200 Stopped Abroad — 8 July 2011

New York Times — Israel Blocks Air Travelers to Palestinian Conference — 8 July 2011

Arutz Sheva — Pro-PA ‘Fly-In’ Stymied in Europe — 7 July 2011

Alternative Information Center — Israel Reacts Hysterically to Welcome to Palestine Initiative — 6 July 2011

Bienvenue en Palestine — Press Release, March 9, 2011 — 9 March 2011

ICTJ World Report July 2011

ICTJ World Report

Côte d’Ivoire Issues Arrest Warrant for Youth Minister for Post-Election Violence

By Carolyn Abdenour
Impunity Watch, Africa

ABIDJAN, Côte d’Ivoire — Côte d’Ivoire’s state prosecutor has issued an international arrest warrant for Charles Ble Goude, the country’s youth militia leader under ex-President Laurent Gbagbo.  Ble Goude was named Youth Minister when Gbagbo refused to leave office after the United Nations (“UN”)-certified Alassane Outtara the winner of the election in November 2010.  Gbagbo’s actions triggered four months of violence throughout the country.  Ble Goude has escaped from Côte d’Ivoire, and officials report spotting him in Benin and Ghana.

Côte d’Ivoire issues arrest warrant for Charles Ble Goude.  (Photo Courtesy of The West Australian)
Côte d’Ivoire issues arrest warrant for Charles Ble Goude. (Photo Courtesy of The West Australian)

The violence killed approximately 3,000 people.  Several of Ble Goude’s Young Patriots engaged in the violence with weapons, brandishing machetes, clubs, and AK-47s.  The Young Patriots countered the insurgency by establishing roadblocks throughout Côte d’Ivoire and attacking French and UN Peacekeeping troops.  The Youth Patriots also killed many Ouattara supporters and foreign West African nationals by burning them to death.

Ble Goude mobilized thousands of men at the conclusion of the violence to join the army.  Human rights groups report Ble Goude fervently called Côte d’Ivoirians at rallies to defend the country against “foreigners”.  After these gatherings, militia killings often occurred against Ouattara’s northern Dioula tribe members.

State prosecutor Simplice Kouadio Koffi said the state has issued arrest warrants against “suspects on the run”.  Côte d’Ivoire issued arrest warrants for Gbagbo’s inner circle including Ahoua Don Mello (Gbagbo’s government spokesman during the violence), Philippe Attey (ex-industry minister), and Raymond Koudou Kessie (Gbagbo’s ambassador to Israel).  These men, and 21 others in detention, face charges that include xenophobia, infractions against the security and authority of the state, tribalism, forming of armed gangs, abuse of office, and rebellion.  Koffi stated “for many weeks, [these] people incited hatred and xenophobia and committed all kinds of atrocities”.

Ouattara captured Gbagbo in April 2010.  Detained in the northern part of the country, Côte d’Ivoirian courts will try Gbagbo for war crimes, corruption, embezzlement, and economic crimes.

Presently, a delegation of the International Criminal Court (“ICC”) is in Côte d’Ivoire to investigate the possibility of prosecuting the war crimes and crimes against humanity that occurred during the post-election violence.

BBC reports the Ouattara government has promised the people an end to the impunity.  However, only Gbagbo supporters are being arrested and detained even though the UN Human Rights Council believes both Gbagbo and Ouattara committed war crimes during the post-election violence.  Human Rights Watch commented “there is a growing divide between the Ouattara government’s rhetoric that no one is above the law and the reality that justice appears one-sided”.

For more information, please see:
CBSIvory Coast issues warrant for Gbagbo youth leader2 July 2011
BBCIvory Coast warrant for Gbagbo ally Ble Goude1 July 2011
Reuters Ivory Coast issues warrant for Gbagbo youth leader1 July 2011
The West AustralianI. Coast issues arrest warrant for Gbagbo allies1 July 2011

Indian Official Makes Anti-Gay Comment

By: Jessica Ties
Impunity Watch, Asia

NEW DELHI, India – Gay rights activists are outraged at statements made by India’s health minister in which Ghulum Nabi Azad described homosexuality as “unnatural” and a “disease” from the West and implied that homosexuality is responsible for the majority of India’s HIV rate.

Ghulum Nabi Azad is facing backlash after making anti-gay remarks (Photo Courtesy of Now Public).
Ghulum Nabi Azad is facing backlash after making anti-gay remarks (Photo Courtesy of Now Public).

Azad is quoted as stating “Unfortunately there is this disease in the world and in this country where men are having sex with other men, which is completely unnatural and shouldn’t happen, but it does.”

The remarks were made at a conference in which officials addressed the fact that HIV has affected approximately 2.5 million people living in India and 7.3 percent of homosexuals have been diagnosed with HIV.

The statements came as some parts of India have begun to increase their acceptance of homosexuals and homosexuality. In July 2009, homosexuality was decriminalized by New Delhi’s highest court which found that “consensual sex amongst adults is legal, which includes even gay sex and sex among the same sexes.”

Anjali Gopalan, founder and executive director of the Naz Foundation which fights the spread of HIV, has said that Azad “let a golden opportunity pass, for narrow sectarian gains, when he should have used the platform to address the concerns of the country as a while.”

Following the backlash resulting from the statements, Ghulum Nabi Azad has since clarified his remarks and stated that the statements were taken out of context.

For more information, please see:

CNBC – AP News in Brief at 5:58 am EDT – 5 July 2011

The Hindu – Azad Clarifies on ‘Gay-Sex-is-Unnatural’ Remark – 5 July 2011

The New York Times – India’s Health Minister Calls Homosexuality ‘Unnatural’ – 5 July 2011

Representatives of Australian Defence Force Aware of Possible Abuses at Abu Ghraib

By Brittney Hodnik
Impunity Watch Reporter, Oceania

CANBERRA, Australia – The Public Interest Advocacy Centre (“PIAC”) has now obtained documents that show that Australia’s military aided in preventing Abu Ghraib prisoners from receiving Red Cross treatment.  At the center of the detainee mistreatment investigation is Australian officer Major George O’Kane.

Australia knew more about abuses at Abu Ghraib than originally thought. (Image Courtesy of the Associated Foreign Press)
Australia knew more about abuses at Abu Ghraib than originally thought. (Image Courtesy of the Associated Foreign Press)

Defense documents reveal that Australian Army lawyer, Major George O’Kane knew much more about the abuses at Abu Ghraib than originally thought.  Although he was not personally involved with the highly publicized abuses, perhaps equally disturbing was his involvement in denying Red Cross medical attention to high priority prisoners.  According to ABC News, Major O’Kane told ICRC representatives that they could not interview certain detainees because they were “undergoing active interrogation.”

Major O’Kane was instructed to report any abuses or wrongdoings to his superiors.  Robert Hill, the then defense minister said that military lawyers and other officials could often “find themselves in tricky situations,” according to The Sydney Morning Herald. 

The only reports Major O’Kane made to his superiors were those concerning a U.S. investigation into photos.  He did not give evidence at a Senate inquiry in May of 2004, nor did he attend U.S. Congressional hearings on the abuses.  However, Major O’Kane did eventually play a role in tipping off the U.S. about the Red Cross abuses.   According to the Sydney Morning Herald, the Major was instructed to deny prisoners access to the Red Cross because of their status as “High Value Detainees” during a January 2004 visit.  Their process of interrogation reportedly required “imperative military necessity.”

Documents show that when Major O’Kane did express doubts about the legality of American interrogation techniques, defense officials ignored his recommendations.  The Straits Times reports that Defence Minister Hill made no effort to correct a public statement announcing that the techniques ‘were consistent with the Geneva Convention,’ even though he knew they were wrong.

Former colonel Mike Kelly was in Baghdad at the same time as Major O’Kane.  Kelly stood up for the Major telling The Sydney Morning Herald that the Major was “a really conscientious officer” and that “there were people with a lot more crap on their shoulders responsible for making these decisions.”

PIAC is a legal lobby group that obtained these documents through Freedom of Information laws.  PIAC Chief Executive Edward Santow said, “We need to assure ourselves that we have learned from the mistakes of the past and . . . ensure that the key information gets into the public domain about our policies in relation to the detention and treatment of prisoners of war.”

PIAC told the Associated Foreign Press that these documents show a “disturbing response by Australian officials regarding detainee mistreatment.”  PIAC will continue to inquire as to what the Australian Defence Force knew about the extent of the abuses at Abu Ghraib.

For more information, please visit:

Associated Foreign Press — Australia “linked to Abu Ghraib abuses” — 5 July 2011

The Straits Times — Alleged Australian Link to Abu Ghraib: Document — 5 July 2011

The Sydney Morning Herald — ADF Knew of Abuses at Abu Ghraib — 5 July 2011

Australian Broadcasting Company (ABC) — Australia’s Ties to Abu Ghraib — 4 July 2011

Herald Sun — Calls for Inquiry Into Abu Ghraib Abuses — 4 July 2011