Israel embargoes boycott advocating groups

The list stems from a March 2017 law allowing Israel to deny entry to any nonresident who promotes a boycott of Israel, expected to take effect in March 2018.

Jerusalem: The members of 20 organizations -- including one Jewish organization -- which advocate boycotting Israel will be banned from entering the country, reports CNN.

The full list comes from the Ministry of Strategic Affairs, a governmental department created to fight the boycott, divestment, and sanctions movement, known as BDS.

"The anti-Israel boycott campaign seeks not to promote peace but to undermine Israel's national security and existence," said Minister Gilad Erdan. "The state of Israel will prevent groups working to undermine its security and core interests from entering Israel."

The list stems from a March 2017 law allowing Israel to deny entry to any nonresident who promotes a boycott of Israel. The final list was put together in collaboration with the Interior, Foreign Affairs and Justice Ministries. The new regulations are expected to take effect in March 2018, one year after Israel enacted the law enabling the ban.

Critics of the legislation zeroed in on the ban of Jewish Voice for Peace, a left-wing Jewish organization that advocates the boycott as a nonviolent means of ending Israel's occupation of the Palestinian territories while seeking "security and self-determination for Israelis and Palestinians" and a solution for Palestinian refugees. "A new crack in the wall of the occupation," tweeted Ayman Odeh, an Arab member of Israel's Knesset. "Minister Erdan has decided to ban Jewish activists who oppose the occupation, although they are entitled to Israeli citizenship by the discriminatory law of return. Oppressive regimes have collapsed because of such internal contradiction."

The "Entry Law," as it's called in Israel, carries an echo of President Donald Trump's travel ban on majority-Muslim countries, which has been partially allowed to go into effect after numerous revisions and legal battles. It was approved by Israel's parliament at virtually the same time Trump issued the second version of his travel ban. In a press release publicizing the list, the ministry of strategic affairs insisted the ban did not target any specific race or religion, instead targeting "central figures in key boycott organizations" while allowing for humanitarian exceptions.

The ministry said those who have voiced political criticism of Israel will be allowed entry. Only those who have taken "material action" against Israel will be banned. That action is defined as "significant, ongoing and consistent to harm Israel through advocating boycotts." But critics of the list saw it as nothing more than a travel ban.

 

Israel embargoes boycott advocating groups

The list stems from a March 2017 law allowing Israel to deny entry to any nonresident who promotes a boycott of Israel, expected to take effect in March 2018.

Jerusalem: The members of 20 organizations -- including one Jewish organization -- which advocate boycotting Israel will be banned from entering the country, reports CNN. The full list comes from the Ministry of Strategic Affairs, a governmental department created to fight the boycott, divestment, and sanctions movement, known as BDS. The anti-Israel boycott campaign seeks not to promote peace but to undermine Israels national security and existence, said Minister Gilad Erdan. The state of Israel will prevent groups working to undermine its security and core interests from entering Israel. The list stems from a March 2017 law allowing Israel to deny entry to any nonresident who promotes a boycott of Israel. The final list was put together in collaboration with the Interior, Foreign Affairs and Justice Ministries. The new regulations are expected to take effect in March 2018, one year after Israel enacted the law enabling the ban. Critics of the legislation zeroed in on the ban of Jewish Voice for Peace, a left-wing Jewish organization that advocates the boycott as a nonviolent means of ending Israels occupation of the Palestinian territories while seeking security and self-determination for Israelis and Palestinians and a solution for Palestinian refugees. A new crack in the wall of the occupation, tweeted Ayman Odeh, an Arab member of Israels Knesset. Minister Erdan has decided to ban Jewish activists who oppose the occupation, although they are entitled to Israeli citizenship by the discriminatory law of return. Oppressive regimes have collapsed because of such internal contradiction. The Entry Law, as its called in Israel, carries an echo of President Donald Trumps travel ban on majority-Muslim countries, which has been partially allowed to go into effect after numerous revisions and legal battles. It was approved by Israels parliament at virtually the same time Trump issued the second version of his travel ban. In a press release publicizing the list, the ministry of strategic affairs insisted the ban did not target any specific race or religion, instead targeting central figures in key boycott organizations while allowing for humanitarian exceptions. The ministry said those who have voiced political criticism of Israel will be allowed entry. Only those who have taken material action against Israel will be banned. That action is defined as significant, ongoing and consistent to harm Israel through advocating boycotts. But critics of the list saw it as nothing more than a travel ban.