Conflicting Jewish reactions to "Welcome to Palestine 2012"

Saturday April 14, 2012 09:37 by George Rishmawi - IMEMC News

The Welcome to Palestine 2012 campaign has triggered a number of reactions among Jewish groups.

On their part, right-wing Jewish group known as "Jewish Defense League" have sent out a call to its operatives and activists to be at the Ben-Gurion airport on Sunday, April 15, to "welcome" the International visitors who are coming to Palestine as part of the "Welcome to Palestine 2012" campaign.

The call which was published on their website described the coming visitors as "anti-semitic thugs".

This group is related to the Jewish terrorist Maier Kahana, who's group known as "Kach" was outlawed in Israel and many other countries around the world.  After his assassination some of his successors formed other groups under different names,much as Kahana Hai, and the Jewish Defense League.

On its website, The group claims it is combating Jew-hatred and anti-semetism.

On the other hand, Israeli leftist Jewish group Gush Shalom (the peace Bloc) has called upon the Israeli Minister of Public Security Yitzhak Aharonovitch to Welcome the visitors with flowers, instead of mobilizing massive police and military forces.

"More than a thousand international activists are due to arrive at Ben Gurion Airport on Sunday, including aged persons, parents with their children and handicapped people in wheelchairs. They have no intention to carry out any provocation, and there is no need to mobilize massive police forces. All that is needed is to say the word "welcome" and perhaps also give a flower," the group said in a a letter to the minister. The campaign was launched in a press conference held in Bethlehem last Tuesday where the organizers announced the plans to host over 1500 visitors from a number of European countries and the US and Canada in addition to some other countries.

Israel said they will not let those visitors in and they will try to prevent them from boarding from their home countries.  On their part, the German airlines company Lufthansa and another British airline company "Jet 2" have canceled the reservations of more than 100 passengers believed to be part of this campaign on the behest of Israel.

Lufthansa spokesperson said they have to comply to instructions from the country of destination if they receive official notice that some people are black-listed.

Organizers said, Lufthansa has violated international law.
In 2011 the "Welcome to Palestine" campaign faced a similar situation when the reservations of around 350 passengers were canceled and 120 others were denied entry at the airport.

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