(AFP) -- Israel on Tuesday expelled 22 foreign pro-Palestinian activists detained after flying into Israel for protests at the weekend, and more were due to leave in the evening, an official said. Immigration service spokeswoman Sabine Hadad said that those who left during the day were put on flights to Italy, France and Austria. "Another 11 are on their way to an Alitalia flight," she said. "There could be more during the night. At the moment we have 23 (still in custody)."
The detainees were part of the "Welcome to Palestine" campaign in which up to 800 people from Europe and the United States planned to fly to Israel and head to the Palestinian territories to visit Palestinian families.
Israeli authorities marshalled diplomatic and security resources to try to head off the incoming activists. Of those who managed to arrive, 120 were denied entry to Israel and taken into custody, although a handful were later admitted after signing pledges not to take part in public disorder. |