Israel gives Finkelstein the boot
Israel denies entry to high-profile critic Norman Finkelstein
By Yossi Melman, Haaretz Correspondent
The Shin Bet security service detained and deported an American Jewish professor who is a prominent critic of the Israeli occupation when he landed at Ben-Gurion International Airport on Friday.
Professor Norman Finkelstein was interrogated for several hours and held in an airport cell before being put on a plane back to Amsterdam, his point of departure. Finkelstein said he was told he could not return to Israel for 10 years.
The Shin Bet said Finkelstein “is not permitted to enter Israel because of suspicions involving hostile elements in Lebanon,” and because he “did not give a full accounting to interrogators with regard to these suspicions.”
However, in e-mail and phone interviews with Haaretz after leaving Israel for Amsterdam, Finkelstein said, “I did my best to provide absolutely candid and comprehensive answers to all the questions put to me. I am confident that I have nothing to hide. Apart from my political views, and the supporting scholarship, there isn’t much more to say for myself: alas, no suicide missions or secret rendezvous with terrorist organizations. I’ve always supported a two-state solution based on the 1967 borders. I’m not an enemy of Israel.”
Finkelstein visited Lebanon a few months ago and met with Hezbollah operatives there, and subsequently published articles.
Finkelstein, 55, has accused Israel of exploiting the Holocaust for political ends. He recently left DePaul University following pressure by Jewish organizations and individuals, including Professor Alan Dershowitz.
He also said in the interview that he was “en route to Palestine to see one of my oldest and dearest friends, Musa Abu-Hashhash.”
Finkelstein said he was asked whether he had met with Al Qaida operatives, whether he had been sent to Israel by Hezbollah and how he intended to finance his stay in Israel.
“I was kept in a holding cell at the airport for approximately 24 hours. It wasn’t a Belgian bed-and-breakfast, but it wasn’t Auschwitz either. I had several unpleasant moments with the guards at the airport and in the holding cell, but since martyrdom is not my cup of tea, I’ll spare you the details,” Finkelstein said.
He said he eventually used a cellphone belonging to another detainee and called another friend he was scheduled to see in Israel, the journalist Allan Nairn, who called attorney Michael Sfard. Sfard met with Finkelstein and told him he could appeal the ban; however, Finkelstein said he has been to Israel at least 15 times and declined to appeal.
Sfard on Saturday said banning Finkelstein from entering the country “recalls the behavior of the Soviet bloc countries.”
Something tells me there is more to this story. What was Finkelstein talking about with those Hezbollah operatives?
There is nothing facist, however, with a nation banning the entry of a man who has been meeting with members of a terrorist group, with whom they are at war.
Would the United states allow someone who met with Al Quaida a few months ago, leave the airport? of course not, and everyone would understand that this was basic national security.
Finkelstein has according to the report done nothing different than many Israel Arabs and left wing Israeli Jews as well as MK Arabs. So there does mean that there is more to the story than has been reported. That said Israel has the right to bar any individual Jew or non Jew arbitrarily and we don’t have to spell out the reasons. Jimmy Carter and Farrakhan met we Israels enemies and were let in to Israel. I am glad he was barred as this in any event sends a message that Israel is not a completely sucker nation and we don’t like Jewish Traitors so they can do the traitorous activities without our help and hospitality. I just wish we were consistent and used the same key criteria across the board for everyone not just someone like Finkelstein. I suspect his positions on the Holocaust have more to do with it than meeting with this Arab or another. Pity!!!
On the Plus side Finkelstein has been to Israel he says at least fifteen times which is more than over 90% of all American Jews, which includes even those who say they support Israel, so I must give him his due credit.
I wish we had a law to export or deport our own citizens who are known to consort with our enemies. We do have laws which if enforced would jail such Israelis but we can’t get anyone to enforce them as our judiciary and state prosecutors sympathize with our traitors. That would make them what?
At last!!!!! Israel’s fighting back – well done!. Of course we’ll never hear the end of it, will we?
Maybe this is the start of Israel’s empowerment? Please G-d!!!!
Israel has the right to keep out of the country any undesirables it sees fit. But why does Israeli media use Arab terminalogy such as “occupation of Arab lands” in reporting events in Israel? We must stop adding credence to the Arab narrative (distortions and blatant lies)of Israeli history.
Praise the God of Israel! When Israeli leaders become strong enough to govern effectively, the PA and Hamas, the Catholic Pope and the gay parades can also be treated the same way.
See what happens when Israel acts honorably?
Very cool!
No anti-Israeli speech should ever be tolerated and I applaud Israel for kicking this man where he belongs!
Because the media is the enemy.
Good for Israel. They should also boot out all non-Jewish Brits, especially politicians, for forbidding entry to Moshe Feiglin.
There is no reason to shoot ourselves in the foot , we need the tourist trade and even the brits are welcome in this context.