Post date: Apr 15, 2012 5:16:3 PM
Police in France and Belgium prevent pro-Palestinian activists from boarding flights to Tel Aviv, sparking airport scuffles. Andrew Raven reports.
FRANCE/BELGIUM-FLYTILLA PROTESTS - Pro-Palestinian activists scuffle with police at an airport just outside Paris blocked from flying to to Tel Aviv
Israel gave airlines worldwide the names of 1,200 people they would bar from entering and told them they would have to shoulder the cost of repatriation.
From there, the activists had been planning to travel onto Bethlehem in the West Bank to help open a school. TEACHER, ACCACIA CONDES, SAYING:
"They have refused to let me board. Why? Because the government of Israel has given it's orders, isn't it? To deny boarding anyone who wants to go to Bethlehem for this mission. I find this absolutely intolerable."
PRO-PALESTINIAN ACTIVIST, ARNAUD, SAYING:
"Even with international law, Israel can take the liberty of putting pressure on airline companies to stop passengers from taking the flight and moreover they are able to dictate the law to French police."
It was a scene repeated in Belgium, where activists also tangled with police after being blocked from flying.
Sunday's action has been dubbed the "flytilla", in reference to the 2010 Gaza-bound flotilla of boats carrying aid supplies to Palestinians.
It was intercepted by Israeli forces and several activists were killed.
Andrew Raven, Reuters