'Welcome to Palestine' Organizers decry Israeli propaganda and threats

We will have a press conference Friday July 8 at 10:00 a.m. at the Bethlehem Peace Center in Bethlehem.

By Free Palestine

(BETHLEHEM) - The organizers of the "Welcome to Palestine" initiative decry the numerous attempts by Israeli and other media to distort our message and planned activities. There were messages claiming that we are attempting to reach Gaza by going to Lod Airport (aka Ben Gurion airport) on July 8. Some claimed that this initiative came after the flotilla was blocked. Others claimed our visitors want to disrupt things at the airport and some even claimed they will try to take over planes. These claims and many others being circulated are false; we urge media not to disseminate false statements.

As stated in our first press release: we invited international guests, including families, to visit us in Palestine. We hope and expect the Israeli authorities to allow them safe passage in compliance with International law and normal diplomatic bilateral protocols. We also reject the Israeli government threat to engage in mass deportation of peace activists and the apparent attempt justify this unjustifiable action by using rumors that they spread.

We are accessible to the media and encourage them to speak with the actual organizers and participants of this peaceful initiative. Journalists will be flying with us, and we encourage more journalists to join us and to report on what actually happens (without innuendos and propaganda efforts -Israeli hasbara).

Our visitors are coming to Palestine with a nonviolent approach to peace building and conflict resolution, with full respect of the universal declaration of human rights. We urge the Israeli authorities to allow the journalists to have access to our participants and to report the true story of "Welcome to Palestine."

Inviting Palestinians and internationals to join us is our right as people under colonial occupation who yearn to be free.

Some journalists are flying with our visitors and we invite all journalists who want to exercise their right to free press to fly in of the 8th of July to Palestine.

We will have a press conference Friday July 8 at 10:00 a.m. at the Bethlehem Peace Center in Bethlehem.

Contact: info@palestinejn.org
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Press Release from the European group is posted at
http://bienvenuepalestine.com/

نتنياهو في مطار بن غوريون يُعد لخطة احباط وصول نشطاء السلام
http://www.maannews.net/arb/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=402801

Xinhua agency Report
http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/90001/90777/90854/7429516.html
AFP Report
http://beta.news.yahoo.com/israel-readies-pro-palestinian-airport-protest-21
1323198.html

Israel to expel pro-Palestinian airport protesters
http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=402646

نتنياهو في مطار بن غوريون يُعد لخطة احباط وصول نشطاء
http://www.maannews.net/arb/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=402801

الشرطة الاسرائيلية ترفع حالة التأهب في مطار بن غوريون بعد أنباء عن وصول
نشطاء سلام
http://www.alarab.net/Article/382010

جلسة تشاورية للحكومة الاسرائيلية في مطار "بن غوريون" قبل وصول المتضامنين
http://www.kuna.net.kw/NewsAgenciesPublicSite/ArticleDetails.aspx?id=2178444
<http://www.kuna.net.kw/NewsAgenciesPublicSite/ArticleDetails.aspx?id=217844
4&Language=ar> &Language=ar

Challenging Israeli apartheid, starting at Ben Gurion Airport
http://mondoweiss.net/2011/06/challenging-israeli-apartheid-starting-at-ben-
gurion-airport.html

Professor Mazin Qumsiyeh, PhD (formerly of Yale and Duke universities) teaches at Bethlehem and Birzeit Universities in occupied Palestine and chairs the Palestinian Center for Rapprochement Between People. Professor Qumsiyeh has authored over 110 scientific papers in areas of mammalogy, biology, and medicine including mammalian biology and evolution, clinical genetics, and cancer research. He has published over 100 letters to the editor and 30 op-ed pieces in International, national, regional and local papers on issues ranging from politics to environmental issues. His appearances in national media include the Washington Post, New York Times, Boston Globe, CNBC, C-Span, and ABC, among others. He is the founder and president of the Holy Land Conservation Foundation and ex-President of the Middle East Genetics Association, and Prof. Qumsiyeh won the Jallow activism award from the Arab American Anti-Discrimination Committee in 1998. Those are just a small list, visit Mazin Qumsiyeh's amazing and informative Website to learn more: qumsiyeh.org, and also pcr.ps.

Americans for a Stronger Israel