US globetrotting tourist banned from Israel for a decade

A US citizen who toured some 200 countries in a globetrotting challenge has failed to enter Israel twice through land and air terminals for unknown reasons, and has now been banned from entering Israel for a decade.

Dustin Pfundhellerm, a dentist, dreamed of breaking a record as the youngest American to tour the world while on a full-time job, but Israel’s border security turned him away on two separate occasions after questioning him, Haaretz reported yesterday.

Michael Decker, his lawyer, said his client did not receive verbal or written reasons for his entry refusals at Ben Gurion Airport in October last year, and at Israel-Jordan’s eastern crossing this January.

Read: Israel denies EU delegation entry into Gaza

He was then served a 10-year ban from visiting the country, scuppering his ambition to tour the world successfully.

Haaretz added that Pfundheller, who became a popular face in the US media, thought he was denied entry because he visited countries that have no diplomatic relations with Israel, including Arab states.

Israel imposes strict immigration measures on binational Israelis as well as human rights workers. A few days ago, the authorities denied Human Rights Watch a work permit for its regional director.