BDS activists to be stopped from entering Israel

The Interior Committee of the Israeli Knesset yesterday approved a measure giving power for the interior minister not to issue entry visas to Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) activists who plan to visit Israel, the Anadolu Agency reported.

In a press release, the Knesset said that the bill to modify the Entry Law to Israel that gives power to the interior minister not to issue visas was approved in its first reading.

Kulanu party Member of the Knesset, Roy Folkman, who proposed the modification to the law, said: “It is allowed to criticise [Israel], but it is not allowed to seek delegitimising it.”

Arab MK from the Joint List Yousef Jabareen said: “I see this as another political apartheid law. It is aimed not only at human rights activists, but on every one who hails BDS… Anyone who calls for boycotting Israeli settlements will be banned?”

Another Arab MK from the same party, Osama Al-Saadi, said: “We became used to undemocratic laws. The interior minister actually prevents some people from entering Israel. There are people arriving in Ben Gurion Airport and being prevented from entering.”

The bill was turned to the Ministerial Committee for Legislation Affairs for approval before it is returned to the Knesset for a vote.