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.

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

by Zach Waksman
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

JEDDAH, Saudi Arabia – Tuesday, Saudi Arabia’s religious police arrested and detained five women for driving, which is prohibited by religious edict (fatwa) in the Islamic kingdom.  The events took place in Jeddah, a port city along the Red Sea. These arrests are among the first to be made since the Women2Drive campaign that encourages defiance of the fatwa began on June 17, when 42 women took to the streets.

Four of the arrested parties were young women, ages 21 and 22, using a single car.  They were found in the Dorat al Arous neighborhood of Jeddah, where they were arrested by local religious police.  They were taken to a police station, where they signed a pledge never to get behind the wheel again.  They were then released.  The actions taken are similar to what happened to Manal Al-Sharif, who was arrested on May 17 and also forced to sign a promise not to drive again.

The fifth was driving were her brother in the Sulaimania district.  Local residents reported the incident to the police, noting that she was also not wearing a veil.  According to the Saudi news website Sabq.org, “The two were surrounded by four police patrols who asked for their identities then took them to a police station, where they were interrogated.”  As of June 29, they were in custody of police in Jamia, where an investigation was underway.

Saudi Arabia has a male guardianship system, meaning that women must obtain permission to go to work, get an education, marry, leave the country, or have a medical operation. According to the fatwa, women must be driven by a male chauffeur or relative.  Hiring a full-time chauffeur is expensive, costing approximately $600 per month plus expenses for their coming to and remaining in the conservative kingdom.

Eman al-Nafjan, a Saudi women’s rights activist who is a member of Saudi Women for Driving, called referred to the arrests as “…the first big pushback from authorities, it seems.  We aren’t sure what it means at this point and whither this is the start of a harder line by the government against the campaign.”

To some women, however, the pushback started before the activism even began.  Many who supported the Women2Drive initiative said their husbands or male relatives prevented them from taking part.  One housewife referred to as Mana (name changed) said she could not risk driving because her family did not support her.  “I could not take my husband’s car because he expressed real fears and apprehension,” she explained.  “He assumed I might get arrested or get into trouble like Manal Al-Sharif, so I could not pursue the idea.”  Part of this, she believed, was the general belief among women that they must be submissive to their husbands, which interfered with any effort to protest.  Another supporter who did not participate in the June 17 protest, Hawazen Nassief, a self-described “outspoken Saudi female activist,” felt there was too little to gain from driving.

The situation has drawn attention abroad.  Saudi Women for Driving says its campaign draws inspiration by the recent uprisings in other Arab countries and has requested backing from the West.  On Wednesday, United States Secretary of State Hillary Clinton praised the group’s efforts, calling their actions brave.  “They’re right to raise their concerns with their own government,” she said.  Despite this, she said the U.S. would not take part.

Within the country, the discussion continues on whether, and if so, how to begin the process of allowing women drivers onto the roads.  Much of the concern stems from safety issues, be it the safety of the women or the roads themselves.  “The roads are a mess and there is construction work and uneven ground.  With the atrocious traffic management system, you want women out there too?  I did not allow my wife or daughter to drive,” said Salman Abadi, a Jeddah-based sales manager.

When asked the same question, marketing assistant Saad Hamri said, “Not yet.”  In his opinion, too many variables existed, including whether women knew how to drive.  Nassief believed that the issued should be handled gradually by working with the government.  She noted that King Abdullah said that his government would not oppose women driving if society was ready to accept it.  Therefore, she believed that the government should start acting to help prepare the country for women drivers with a series of programs designed to introduce them to the road.

In the meantime, al-Nafjan remained confident in the movement’s success despite the recent crackdown.  “This will not scare us,” she said.

For more information, please see:

ArabNews.com — Jeddah woman detained for violating driving ban — 29 June 2011

Arab Times — Saudi arrests five women for driving : reports Police tipped-off by residents — 29 June 2011

CNN — Saudi women arrested for driving — 29 June 2011

New York Times — Saudi religious police detained 5 women for driving, group reports — 29 June 2011

ArabNews.com — ‘Man’ipulation continues to stall Women2Drive campaign — 28 June 2011

Asharq Alawsat — No to women driving! — 28 June 2011

ArabNews.com — Let govt prepare society to accept driving by women — 27 June 2011

Impunity Watch — Saudi women protest driving ban by hitting the road — 19 June 2011

New York Times — In a scattered protest, Saudi women take the wheel — 17 June 2011