Palestine/Israel Story Missed by Much of US Media

This strange story is being covered by Israeli papers such as Yediot Aharonot and Maariv. But it is ignored by most U.S. media.

Israeli intimidation Image: weeklyintercept.blogspot.com

(RICHMOND, R.I.) - Palestinians and Israelis have been preparing for weeks to greet international visitors to Bethlehem. Several hundred were expected from Europe and the United States.

But Israeli authorities do not want outsiders to see life in the occupied territories. So they ordered airlines flying in from other countries not to allow passengers destined for Bethlehem to board. And those airlines complied.

Some visitors who did get in were required to sign statements that they would not meet with pro-Palestinian organizations.

As Stan Heller notes, Israel has decided there are new crimes: 1) being pro-Palestinian, i.e. believing that Palestinian have human rights and 2) staging "provocations", i.e. peaceful actions which expose government repression.

This strange story is being covered by Israeli papers such as Yediot Aharonot and Maariv. But it is ignored by most U.S. media. An exception is the following from yesterday’s NY Times.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/16/world/middleeast/israel-moves-to-block-activists-from-entering-country.html?_r=2&ref=global-home

Rod Driver studied engineering and mathematics at the University of Minnesota, receiving a Ph.D. in mathematics in 1960. He worked at Sandia Laboratories in Albuquerque for six years before taking a teaching position at the University of Rhode Island for 30 years. Rod says he became a 'peacenik' in 1951 (thanks to a few weeks on Pariss Island). He became particularly active in opposition to U.S. wars in Indochina and U.S. involvement in overthrowing governments and supporting dictators in Latin America and Iran. As the Vietnam war was winding down Rod began paying attention to the abuse of Palestinians - enabled with U.S. weapons and dollars, which has never stopped. Rod is the founder and president of the non-profit Justice First Foundation.

In Rhode Island Rod was an elected delegate to the state constitutional convention of 1986, Then he was elected a state representative for 10 years. At this time he is not in office. You can write to Rod Driver at this address: rod@roddriver.com