NOVANEWS
Briton Deported ‘Over Security Risk Tweets’
A British student has been deported from Israel after authorities declared him a “security threat” – due to his use of social media.
Gary Spedding, from Belfast, arrived at Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion airport on an Easyjet flight from Luton on Thursday afternoon.
He was taken to one side at immigration and then to an interview room, where he was subjected to a full body search and interrogation.
Sky News understands that he was told he would be deported and banned from entering the country for 10 years due to his activity on Twitter and Facebook.
Mr Spedding is an active youth member of Northern Ireland’s Alliance Party and columnist for the Huffington Post.
He had travelled to Israel to meet Israeli politicians and NGOs.
Having been detained by the Israeli authorities overnight, he was put on a flight bound for the UK on Friday evening, and has vowed to appeal the travel ban.
Friends say he has aspirations to become a candidate for the Alliance Party in future elections.
While Israel has the right, like any country, to refuse entry to any individual at its border, the Spedding deportation has raised eyebrows.
Numerous international activists and volunteers suspected of being en route to the West Bank are deported from Ben Gurion airport every year.
However, Mr Spedding’s case is thought to be the first in which comments made by the individual on social media have been labelled a risk to Israeli national security.
While he was being held, Mr Spedding – who served as Vice President of the Palestine Solidarity Society while at Queen’s University Belfast – used Twitter to provide a live account of his detention.
His first tweet said: “Being detained at Israeli immigration. Lots of threats, they’ve went right through my phone. I’m about to be transferred to detention centre.”
A photo was also uploaded which appeared to show that he was being held in an airport holding area.
He then sent regular posts after his phone was returned to him.
In one tweet he wrote: “Just been subjected to another horrendous set of searches including very personally invasive ‘body search’ – felt all near my underwear etc.”
In another he added: “Just been informed they have booked me a flight tomorrow 5pm to deport me and I am now banned from Israel for 10 years.”
While he was in detention, Naomi Long MP, the Deputy Leader of Alliance, told Sky News she and the party were concerned about his welfare.
“Gary is a member of the Party’s youth wing and, though not travelling on Party business, we have already been in contact with him and remain concerned for his welfare,” she said.
Dimi Reider, an Israeli journalist for the liberal website +972.com and friend of Mr Spedding said: “He is one of the few activists I know who, while unequivocally recognising the Palestinians’ plight as the most acute and urgent of the conflict, is also genuinely and consistently concerned with creating a liveable and sustainable future for all those living in Israel-Palestine.
“To my understanding, he was en route to discuss lessons from Northern Ireland, especially the transition from armed struggle to political process, with activists and officials in Israel and in the West Bank.”
However, critics have taken to Twitter pointing out his involvement in a protest at Queen’s University Belfast in 2011.
He interrupted a lecture given by Solon Soloman, a former legal adviser to the Israeli Knesset on international and constitutional issues.
The law society event had to be abandoned and the speaker was escorted away by security staff.
Mr Spedding’s commitment to non-violent activism was given backing by SDLP politician, Margaret Ritchie MP.
“Mr Spedding has never engaged in, nor incited, violence of any kind to achieve political goals and has always expressed his views in a democratic and peaceful manner.”
Israel’s interior ministry was approached for comment, but have not yet provided a response.
However, a spokesperson for the Israeli Embassy in London said: “Mr Spedding’s entry into Israel was denied due to his involvement in organising a violent protest in Queen’s University, Belfast, in which an Israeli representative was attacked, and others were forced to take shelter to prevent being hurt.
“No country has an obligation to allow foreigners who have been involved in violent activities targeting its nationals to enter its territory.”
Last week US Secretary of State John Kerry visited Israel to revive flagging Middle East peace talks, declaring it is not “mission impossible”.
Source: Sky News
Gary Spedding, from Belfast, arrived at Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion airport on an Easyjet flight from Luton on Thursday afternoon.
He was taken to one side at immigration and then to an interview room, where he was subjected to a full body search and interrogation.
Sky News understands that he was told he would be deported and banned from entering the country for 10 years due to his activity on Twitter and Facebook.
Mr Spedding is an active youth member of Northern Ireland’s Alliance Party and columnist for the Huffington Post.
He had travelled to Israel to meet Israeli politicians and NGOs.
Having been detained by the Israeli authorities overnight, he was put on a flight bound for the UK on Friday evening, and has vowed to appeal the travel ban.
Friends say he has aspirations to become a candidate for the Alliance Party in future elections.
While Israel has the right, like any country, to refuse entry to any individual at its border, the Spedding deportation has raised eyebrows.
Numerous international activists and volunteers suspected of being en route to the West Bank are deported from Ben Gurion airport every year.
However, Mr Spedding’s case is thought to be the first in which comments made by the individual on social media have been labelled a risk to Israeli national security.
While he was being held, Mr Spedding – who served as Vice President of the Palestine Solidarity Society while at Queen’s University Belfast – used Twitter to provide a live account of his detention.
His first tweet said: “Being detained at Israeli immigration. Lots of threats, they’ve went right through my phone. I’m about to be transferred to detention centre.”
A photo was also uploaded which appeared to show that he was being held in an airport holding area.
He then sent regular posts after his phone was returned to him.
In one tweet he wrote: “Just been subjected to another horrendous set of searches including very personally invasive ‘body search’ – felt all near my underwear etc.”
In another he added: “Just been informed they have booked me a flight tomorrow 5pm to deport me and I am now banned from Israel for 10 years.”
While he was in detention, Naomi Long MP, the Deputy Leader of Alliance, told Sky News she and the party were concerned about his welfare.
“Gary is a member of the Party’s youth wing and, though not travelling on Party business, we have already been in contact with him and remain concerned for his welfare,” she said.
Dimi Reider, an Israeli journalist for the liberal website +972.com and friend of Mr Spedding said: “He is one of the few activists I know who, while unequivocally recognising the Palestinians’ plight as the most acute and urgent of the conflict, is also genuinely and consistently concerned with creating a liveable and sustainable future for all those living in Israel-Palestine.
“To my understanding, he was en route to discuss lessons from Northern Ireland, especially the transition from armed struggle to political process, with activists and officials in Israel and in the West Bank.”
However, critics have taken to Twitter pointing out his involvement in a protest at Queen’s University Belfast in 2011.
He interrupted a lecture given by Solon Soloman, a former legal adviser to the Israeli Knesset on international and constitutional issues.
The law society event had to be abandoned and the speaker was escorted away by security staff.
Mr Spedding’s commitment to non-violent activism was given backing by SDLP politician, Margaret Ritchie MP.
“Mr Spedding has never engaged in, nor incited, violence of any kind to achieve political goals and has always expressed his views in a democratic and peaceful manner.”
Israel’s interior ministry was approached for comment, but have not yet provided a response.
However, a spokesperson for the Israeli Embassy in London said: “Mr Spedding’s entry into Israel was denied due to his involvement in organising a violent protest in Queen’s University, Belfast, in which an Israeli representative was attacked, and others were forced to take shelter to prevent being hurt.
“No country has an obligation to allow foreigners who have been involved in violent activities targeting its nationals to enter its territory.”
Last week US Secretary of State John Kerry visited Israel to revive flagging Middle East peace talks, declaring it is not “mission impossible”.
Source: Sky News
