Jet2 Can’t Fly You
Soumaya Saleh
Pressures from "Israel" have led the inexpensive British airline Jet 2 to cancel the flights of three women travelling from Manchester to Palestine to join a gathering of pro-Palestinian activists.
The women were notified that Jet2 refused to carry them, and no refund for their already purchased tickets would be made. This occurred after "Israeli" pressures were placed on airlines for carrying recognised activists.
The email explained that "Israeli" authorities requested the personal details of all passengers booked in, which then lead to the termination of their ticket. The email read: "As a result of providing that information, Jet2.com has been informed by the "Israeli" authorities that you will not be not permitted to enter "Israel". Consequently, if Jet2.com carries you to "Israel", you will be refused entry and Jet2.com will be liable for both a fine and your return to Manchester..."
It continued: "We regret that, in light of the decision taken by the "Israeli" authorities, we are unable to accept you for carriage to "Israel" on this occasion and your booking with Jet2.com has been cancelled." The airline apologised, but assured the women that they would not be compensated.
This decision was not new, since the German airline Lufthansa on Thursday cancelled the tickets of dozens of activists heading to Palestine for the same cause. They stated that it was fulfilling "Israel's" request not to fly certain commuters to Tel Aviv.
Approximately 2,000 predominantly European activists are expected to fly in this ‘Flytilla', in response to the previously intercepted attempts to stop the siege on Gaza by Flotillas of boats. The activists are expected to arrive at Tel Aviv Airport on Sunday on their way to the West Bank for a week of cultural and informative activities.
"Israel" has made serious promises to take action against the known activists when they arrive in Tel Aviv: "The provocateurs will be dealt with in a determined and quick way," Yitzhak Aharonovitch "Israel's" public security minister, said this week. "If they arrive in "Israel" they will be identified, removed from the plane, their entry into "Israel" will be prevented and they will be moved to a detention facility until they are flown out of "Israel"". "Israel" has distributed ‘no-fly' lists of known activists to airline companies, emphasising consequences for airlines that fly these activists.
One of the organisers of the "Welcome to Palestine Program", Mazin Qumsiyeh saw the "Israeli" response as "paranoid" and "hysterical", and stated that "They simply don't want the world to know what's going on in Palestine."
Furthermore, the mayor of Bethlehem, Victor Batarseh assured at a press conference that "These people are coming to talk about peace, they are not coming to wage war against "Israel". They are coming to visit the Palestinian people who are under occupation and to talk to them and to help them because these people are isolated."
Hundreds of police officers will be deployed to Ben Gurion airport on Saturday night, in preparation of the arrival of airlines possibly carrying activists, who will be diverted to a smaller terminal for questioning and interrogation.
What are the implications of an entity that can influence even the lives of European passport holders in the modern world?
Pressures from "Israel" have led the inexpensive British airline Jet 2 to cancel the flights of three women travelling from Manchester to Palestine to join a gathering of pro-Palestinian activists.
The women were notified that Jet2 refused to carry them, and no refund for their already purchased tickets would be made. This occurred after "Israeli" pressures were placed on airlines for carrying recognised activists.
The email explained that "Israeli" authorities requested the personal details of all passengers booked in, which then lead to the termination of their ticket. The email read: "As a result of providing that information, Jet2.com has been informed by the "Israeli" authorities that you will not be not permitted to enter "Israel". Consequently, if Jet2.com carries you to "Israel", you will be refused entry and Jet2.com will be liable for both a fine and your return to Manchester..."
It continued: "We regret that, in light of the decision taken by the "Israeli" authorities, we are unable to accept you for carriage to "Israel" on this occasion and your booking with Jet2.com has been cancelled." The airline apologised, but assured the women that they would not be compensated.
This decision was not new, since the German airline Lufthansa on Thursday cancelled the tickets of dozens of activists heading to Palestine for the same cause. They stated that it was fulfilling "Israel's" request not to fly certain commuters to Tel Aviv.
Approximately 2,000 predominantly European activists are expected to fly in this ‘Flytilla', in response to the previously intercepted attempts to stop the siege on Gaza by Flotillas of boats. The activists are expected to arrive at Tel Aviv Airport on Sunday on their way to the West Bank for a week of cultural and informative activities.
"Israel" has made serious promises to take action against the known activists when they arrive in Tel Aviv: "The provocateurs will be dealt with in a determined and quick way," Yitzhak Aharonovitch "Israel's" public security minister, said this week. "If they arrive in "Israel" they will be identified, removed from the plane, their entry into "Israel" will be prevented and they will be moved to a detention facility until they are flown out of "Israel"". "Israel" has distributed ‘no-fly' lists of known activists to airline companies, emphasising consequences for airlines that fly these activists.
One of the organisers of the "Welcome to Palestine Program", Mazin Qumsiyeh saw the "Israeli" response as "paranoid" and "hysterical", and stated that "They simply don't want the world to know what's going on in Palestine."
Furthermore, the mayor of Bethlehem, Victor Batarseh assured at a press conference that "These people are coming to talk about peace, they are not coming to wage war against "Israel". They are coming to visit the Palestinian people who are under occupation and to talk to them and to help them because these people are isolated."
Hundreds of police officers will be deployed to Ben Gurion airport on Saturday night, in preparation of the arrival of airlines possibly carrying activists, who will be diverted to a smaller terminal for questioning and interrogation.
What are the implications of an entity that can influence even the lives of European passport holders in the modern world?
