• » Israel Denies Entry To Swedish Peace Activist Who Walked To Palestine
    IMEMC - July 6, 2018 11:55 AM
    http://imemc.org/article/israel-denies-entry-to-swedish-peace-activist-who-walked-to-palestine

    The Israeli Border Authority denied entry to a Swedish peace activist, who started walking to Palestine eleven months ago to raise awareness about the Israeli occupation, and the suffering of the Palestinian people.

    The peace activist Benjamin Ladra started his walk on August 8th, 2017, with the aim of informing the world about the situation in Palestine and spread awareness about the Israeli military occupation.

    His walk also marked the centennial of the Balfour Declaration of 1917, in which Britain pledged a Jewish homeland in Palestine during the British mandate and occupation of the country.

    After being denied entry, he said the officers at the Israeli-controlled crossing with the West Bank interrogated him for six hours, and told him that they believe “he was lying during interrogation,” and that “he would be participating in the protests in Nabi Saleh village,” near Ramallah.

    #Expulsion #Aéroport #BDS #Douane #Frontière #expulsions_frontières (d’israel) #Suède

    • Update: Palestinian Nationality Granted to Swedish Activist
      July 7, 2018 10:13 PM IMEMC News & Agencies
      http://imemc.org/article/palestinian-nationality-granted-to-swedish-activist

      Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has granted Palestinian nationality to Swedish activist Benjamin Ladraa, aged 25, and bestowed the Medal of Merit on him, in appreciation of his efforts and support of the Palestinian people.

      Ladraa had walked 4,800 kilometers, through 15 countries and for a period of 11 months, carrying a Palestinian flag on his back to raise awareness about the plight of the Palestinian people under the Israeli military occupation.

      Israeli authorities banned Ladraa entry to Palestine when he arrived predawn, Friday, at the Allenby Bridge (the Jordanian-Palestinian borders), in the last leg of his walk.

      Ladraa was also held for 6 hours of interrogations by Israeli authorities, at the border.

    • Benjamin Ladraa: ’You don’t have to be Palestinian to care about the injustice in Palestine’
      Aug. 16, 2018 3:52 P.M. (Updated: Aug. 16, 2018 4:19 P.M.)
      http://www.maannews.com/Content.aspx?id=780726
      By: Jennifer Janineh

      BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — Benjamin Ladraa is a Swedish human rights activist, who walked 4,800 km through 13 countries over a span of 11 months to raise awareness about the Palestinian cause.

      Ma’an News Agency interviewed Ladraa after Israeli authorities banned him from entering Palestine upon his arrival at the Allenby Bridge, the Jordanian-Palestinian borders, in July.

      During the interview, Ladraa said that “they (Israeli authorities) treated me not too bad, I mean, it’s not comparable to what Palestinians are going through when they are arrested in the middle of the night from their homes and tortured.”

      Watch the full interview below:

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=377MQk-IK_I