Thread: Israel deports American employed by Palestinian news outlet

Israel deports American employed by Palestinian news outlet

By Howard Schneider and Samuel Sockol
Washington Post Foreign Service
Wednesday, January 20, 2010; 12:21 PM



JERUSALEM -- The American editor of a Palestinian news agency was removed from Israel on Wednesday after being questioned by authorities about his "anti-Israeli" views.

The case highlights what some nonprofit organizations say is a tightened Israeli policy toward foreign nationals who live or work in the occupied West Bank. It comes during an intensifying feud, as well, over foreign government funding for organizations seen to promote Palestinian interests -- including efforts by Israeli politicians and non-governmental organizations to curb the flow of money from outside.

Jared Malsin, chief English editor of the Maan News Agency, based in the West Bank city of Bethlehem, was detained a week ago at Israel's Ben Gurion International Airport and denied entry to the country.

Malsin has worked for the news agency -- a nonprofit organization supported by grants from the U.S. and European governments and the United Nations -- for two and a half years, relying on a series of three-month tourist visas to extend his stay without a work permit. The technique is used by some foreign employees and volunteers of organizations based in Palestinian areas, who say they face difficulty acquiring work visas from the Israeli government.

Malsin was en route back from a trip to Prague when he was detained. On Tuesday he dropped his request for a court hearing after a week in custody and was put on a flight for New York on Wednesday morning.

"They judged me to have anti-Israeli politics," Malsin, 24, said from a cellphone as he boarded the El Al plane. "It's outrageous that would even appear in a legal argument, that a person's politics would be a relevant issue."

An official with the Israeli Interior Ministry said that Malsin refused to answer questions about his presence in Israel and had "exploited" the fact that he is Jewish to say he wanted to explore emigration.

"He was asked, why would he want to make aliya and become an Israeli citizen, as his opinions are clearly anti-Israeli," Interior Ministry official Mietal Rochman wrote in an account of Malsin's interrogation at the airport, which included a check of numbers stored in his cellphone and a review of his writings on the Internet. "The passenger chose to remain silent." A copy of Rochman's written report was provided by Malsin's attorney.

When asked about whom he planned to stay with and other questions, "he refused to cooperate," said Interior Ministry spokeswoman Sabine Haddad. "It's the minimal right of the country to ask questions. We don't mind who he is. If he does not want to answer he should know he could be sent back"

Malsin's girlfriend, Faith Rowold, a U.S. volunteer for a Lutheran Church group in Jerusalem, was also denied entry when the couple arrived last week and already has been sent out of Israel.

Maan, founded five years ago to focus on news from the West Bank and Gaza Strip, publishes in Arabic, English and Hebrew, and is considered among the more balanced Palestinian news organizations. Its staff have access to U.S. Embassy and other diplomatic officials, and its tone -- while highlighting issues like violence by Israeli settlers against Palestinians -- is regarded as more tempered than Web sites or publications affiliated with Palestinian or Islamist political parties.

"There is no incitement. There is no hate in our work," said Raed Othman, Maan's general director. "This is punishment for internationals who come to help the Palestinians."

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/co ... eheadlines

They have not only the right, but the responsibility as well, to deport anyone with anti-Israel views, and we had better start following their lead.

There are approximately ten million Muslims in this country right now, and I have no doubt that each and every one of them are taught the same doctrine of kill the infidel, or convert him to Islam.

I’m sorry, but I cannot be on anyone’s side but Israel’s on this.

Melena,

No they do not the Israelis can not deny the existance of Israelis who do not toe the line of the Likud. Any policy of inclusion of Jews as citizens should include those concerned with fair treatment for Palestinians. As for your bigoted comment regarding American Moslems who do you see interviewed in the news video clips among the almost victims of the underwear bomber or are you to dense to notice.

Originally Posted by melena29

They have not only the right, but the responsibility as well, to deport anyone with anti-Israel views, and we had better start following their lead.

There are approximately ten million Muslims in this country right now, and I have no doubt that each and every one of them are taught the same doctrine of kill the infidel, or convert him to Islam.

I’m sorry, but I cannot be on anyone’s side but Israel’s on this.

Your first paragraph would mean Obama would have to leave!

Israel has to be very vigilant since they are target practice for Hamas/Palestinians and other assorted Muslims and have been for DECADES.

CAIR is a terrorist organization and should be either booted out or broke up like the mafia was. This Muslim mafia is CAIR....

I wish our country did what Britain does, anyone on the terrorist list can't come in there if they aren't a REAL American. I'm not talking citizenship Americans or anchor-babies, I'm talking AMERICAN. I mean Immigrants, visa people and you know what I think of any illegals. The list would have to be scrutinized though to get the eight years old off it.

The problem is the same we have with illegals. They lawyer up on our dime..... The ACLU should be on the anti-American list! Not from terror necessarily, but for being a pimple on the ass of progress and a drain on our economy from alltheir frivilous lawsuits.

I'd rather have the Israeli's protecting us rather than a cock-eyed, idiot that's whole agenda is for illegals rights, Muslims thin-skinned whining, and the corruption I assume that's in that agency like all of the Whitehouse. She is an embarrassment to us women and America.

Our country will fail from Political Correctness.

Originally Posted by Richard

Melena,

No they do not the Israelis can not deny the existance of Israelis who do not toe the line of the Likud. Any policy of inclusion of Jews as citizens should include those concerned with fair treatment for Palestinians. As for your bigoted comment regarding American Moslems who do you see interviewed in the news video clips among the almost victims of the underwear bomber or are you to dense to notice.

No need to be insulting, Richard.

You know absolutely nothing about me, so to call me a bigot is not only baseless and unfounded, it is rude and inappropriate as well.

To what do you refer regarding who I see interviewed in the news? And how do those almost victims of the underwear bomber who were interviewed on the news relate to the reality that the Islamic doctrine is one of the jihad and murder of infidels?

I'm sorry if you inferred bigotry and hatred when you read between the lines of my post, but I have no control over how you perceive what you read. The fact remains, that muslims in this country have been taught that they have a responsibility to destroy America, and that is the goal they are expected to achieve. Remember Fort Hood, Texas? It wasn't that long ago that you could have forgotten.

If muslims in America truly object to that perception, then they must change their behavior in order to refute that perception and to earn America's trust. Until then it is folly for Americans not to acknowledge their meaning for being here, and to address it accordingly.

As for the fair treatment of Palestinians, what role does Palestinian leadership have with regard to that end? Does not the continuing call of Palestinian leadership to its people to maim and murder the Israelis warrant some concern? The American's actions served to facilitate that end. I stand by my comment: Israel did the right thing.

Let's be honest for a moment; What would or wouldn't you do to protect your loved ones? If it came to your attention that there was a faction in your midst that encouraged your destruction, would you not root it out?

I would.

Israel did acknowledge his existence, and rightfully and responsibly rooted him out. I suggest we do the same.

Originally Posted by WorriedAmerican

Originally Posted by melena29

They have not only the right, but the responsibility as well, to deport anyone with anti-Israel views, and we had better start following their lead.

There are approximately ten million Muslims in this country right now, and I have no doubt that each and every one of them are taught the same doctrine of kill the infidel, or convert him to Islam.

I’m sorry, but I cannot be on anyone’s side but Israel’s on this.

Your first paragraph would mean Obama would have to leave!

Israel has to be very vigilant since they are target practice for Hamas/Palestinians and other assorted Muslims and have been for DECADES.

CAIR is a terrorist organization and should be either booted out or broke up like the mafia was. This Muslim mafia is CAIR....

I wish our country did what Britain does, anyone on the terrorist list can't come in there if they aren't a REAL American. I'm not talking citizenship Americans or anchor-babies, I'm talking AMERICAN. I mean Immigrants, visa people and you know what I think of any illegals. The list would have to be scrutinized though to get the eight year old off it.

The problem is the same we have with illegals. They lawyer up on our dime..... The ACLU should be on the anti-American list! Not from terror necessarily, but for being a pimple on the ass of progress and a drain on our economy from alltheir frivilous lawsuits.

I'd rather have the Israeli's protecting us rather than a cock-eyed, idiot that's whole agenda is for illegals rights, Muslims thin-skinned whining, and the corruption I assume that's in that agency like all of the Whitehouse. She is an embarrassment to us women and America.

Our country will fail from Political Correctness.

What I meant in my first paragraph, but did not clearly state, is that we should be deporting those with anti-American views. So yes, I guess Obama would have to leave, wouldn't he?

You are absolutely right regarding Israelis as target practice for the Palestinians. I cannot imagine how they live from day to day knowing they could be the next victim.

Cock-eyed idiot!! Priceless!!

Melena on the basis of your post my remark is appropriate.

Originally Posted by Richard

Melena on the basis of your post my remark is appropriate.

We'll have to agree to disagree then.

What concerns me the most, not knowing anything about Israeli laws, is that this would be an attack on our First Amendment rights in this country. But equally distressing is the fact that freedom of speech has been so broadly defined that even the Ft. Hood massacre could come under that definition in the hands of a smart lawyer and a stupid judge.
I think our rights should be limited to American citizens and legal immigrants only, not to those who just happen to be inside our borders, and owing their allegiance to a foreign nation.
Try screaming or critizing governments and politics in other countries, and your life will be quickly shortened, or you will spend a lot of time behind locked bars. This is one thing we cannot give up.

Originally Posted by vortex

What concerns me the most, not knowing anything about Israeli laws, is that this would be an attack on our First Amendment rights in this country. But equally distressing is the fact that freedom of speech has been so broadly defined that even the Ft. Hood massacre could come under that definition in the hands of a smart lawyer and a stupid judge.
I think our rights should be limited to American citizens and legal immigrants only, not to those who just happen to be inside our borders, and owing their allegiance to a foreign nation.
Try screaming or critizing governments and politics in other countries, and your life will be quickly shortened, or you will spend a lot of time behind locked bars. This is one thing we cannot give up.

I agree completely. When you talk about Israel however, you have to keep in mind that for these people the reality is that on any given day your life could be ended by a suicide bomber while you're having dinner out with the family. This puts an entirely different spin on what you should allow/tolerate. Let's just hope it doesn't come to that here.