Israeli Forces Detain 23 Delegates at West Bank Border
A group of international politicians and activists was held for nine hours at the Allenby Bridge while attempting to attend a congress focused on the olive harvest.
By Benjamin Mahmoud ·
Israeli authorities detained a delegation of 23 international visitors for nine hours at the Allenby or King Hussein Bridge on the border between Jordan and the West Bank. The group was attempting to cross into Palestinian territory to participate in a political gathering during the olive harvest season.
The delegation included four elected officials: Clive Lewis and Lara Bird from the UK Parliament, Kate Nevens from the Scottish Parliament, and Sam Tarry, a former UK member of parliament. The remaining 19 members represented organizations from France, Spain, Luxembourg, Switzerland, Greece, the Netherlands, Ireland, and the United States. They were bound for the Second Ramallah Congress, an event organized by Progressive International in partnership with Birzeit University.
The congress schedule included meetings with Palestinian academics, students, and civil society leaders. The organizers stated that the group intended to witness conditions in the region during a time of heightened agricultural activity.
Clive Lewis described the detention as an interrogation. He noted that guards shouted at the group and questioned their motives and narratives. Lewis called the experience deeply unpleasant. The group was separated and held at the crossing point before being turned away.
Sam Tarry said he believed the group had a genuine chance of crossing. He suggested the decision to block them was political and timed ahead of Israeli elections. Tarry argued that the forces wanted to prevent outsiders from observing events in the West Bank.
The detention occurred while Israeli forces conducted operations against olive farmers. UN aid coordination offices recorded at least 160 settler attacks linked to the harvest in the first two weeks of October. These incidents often involved the participation or protection of Israeli military units.
Earlier this month, defense minister Israel Katz instructed officials to issue exclusion orders against activists traveling to olive-growing areas. The Israeli embassy has been contacted for comment regarding the detention of the 23 delegates.
Source: The Guardian
