Two US ‘flytilla’ activists deported from Israel

Two American women were deported from Ben Gurion International Airport in Israel early Friday morning after arriving there from Athens to take part in pro-Palestinian protests.

After arriving at the airport, the two activists were questioned by police and then deported back to Greece, Haaretz reports. 

The women said they had wanted to participate in the Gaza boat flotilla but due to its delays, decided to take part in the ‘flytilla’.

Israeli authorities have been preparing for the arrival of hundreds of activists protesting travel restrictions on Palestinians, but police presence at the airport was scaled down Thursday evening after a number of activists were prevented from boarding European flights to Israel.

Israel’s Interior Ministry sent a ‘blacklist’ to authorities throughout Europe and said that under Israeli law, airlines had to remove any pro-Palestinian “radicals” from their flights to Israel, the Jerusalem Post reports.

Almost 200 activists were prevented from traveling from European locations to Israel as a result of the list, including a group of French activists trying to board a flight from Paris to Budapest en route to Israel.

Peaceful protesters will be allowed into Israel, but officials have said that “provocateurs” will not be granted entry, the AP reports.

More activists are expected to arrive in Israel Friday.