The dilemma of the airlines towards Israel

The dilemma of the airlines towards Israel
 By Paul Larudee

Who is right? The Israeli state? The airlines? Or the pro-Palestinian activists of the “Welcome to Palestine” movement who bought their flight tickets very legally with the intention of visiting the occupied Palestinian territories?



Pro-Palestinian activists hold placards to protest being prevented
from boarding flights for which they had bought tickets at
 Atatürk airport in Istanbul. DHA photo



Israel wants to exclude these people from entering through its borders. The activists say they only seek to cross through Israel in order to enter the Palestinian territories. Israel says it will impose fines on the airlines if they bring these people into its territory. The airlines cancel reservations without refunding the denied passengers. Passengers insist that it is illegal to both deny them the right to travel and take their money. Are we in uncharted legal waters?

Nobody denies the right of each state to control its borders. Nor the right of airlines to provide transportation, as well as that of the public to freely purchase this service, according to established procedures.

However, the means by which Israel controls the admissibility of travelers is exceptional. To my knowledge, no other nation requires airlines to search their passenger lists for “excluded” people, much less after they have already bought tickets in good faith.

There is, however, an established protocol for these purposes. It is for that country to require visas for all visitors. Under this protocol, the country determines in advance whom they will allow to enter, and the airline simply checks for the existence of a valid visa in the passport. The airline alerts any passenger that a visa is required prior to travel, which is a very normal request. And voila! No need to blaze a new trail and create disruptions to settle the matter.

Moreover, Israel already employs this protocol, but with other countries than France, Canada, Belgium, etc.. Visitors to Romania, the Philippines, and Eretria, for example, are required to obtain a visa before traveling to Israel, without which airlines refuse to let them board the aircraft. Why not apply the same system more widely, and for the same reason, i.e. toexclude “undesirables”, rather than imposing the responsibility on the airlines?

It is incomprehensible to me why airlines let themselves be pushed around this way. Why are they being made to do the job of Israeli consular authorities? They need to defend their rights without being intimidated by these Israeli thugs.
River to Sea Uprooted Palestinian  
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by deLiberation

Tuesday, April 17th, 2012