URGENT ALERT: Minnesota peace activists jailed in Israel .

[annm4peace]

*disclosure, 2 of these women are friends. Sarah and Katrina that are being held.
Sarah is a retired nurse, grandmother and active member of WAMM. Katrina is a young woman, teacher, poet, and active member of Anti-War committee.
All 3 women were going to meet with some Palestine women and were in no way a threat.
This is an outrage! Please forward to friends and family and make sure to call and email the people below and your own congress members.


URGENT ALERT: Minnesota peace activists jailed in Israel

Please forward * Take action today


We have just learned that Israeli security forces have refused entry to three U.S. activists attempting to visit the Palestinian Territories. One of them, Karen Sullivan, is being sent home on a flight tonight, and two others, Sarah Martin and Katrina Plotz have refused to leave, and are being taken into custody. They are being treated as criminals, while their only goal was to learn about the reality of life for the Palestinian people. All three should be allowed to enter the country, as millions of tourists do every year.



Given the special relationship that the U.S. has with Israel, it is no surprise that U.S. citizens would want to travel there, and see how our tax dollars are spent. In spite of its special relationship with the U.S., the Israeli government showed no regard for the rights of American visitors, whose only crime was to express solidarity with the people of occupied Palestine.



Palestinians experience repression every day. There is no way to travel to Palestinian cities, or from one Palestinian city to another, without passing through Israeli military checkpoints. Palestinian refugees who live outside the territories, have a legal right to return home, but face the same obstacles that stopped Karen, Katrina and Sarah at the Tel Aviv airport today.



Katrina and Sarah have refused to cooperate in the face of this injustice, and have been sent to an Israeli jail. They have been told they will not be allowed to enter the country, and instead will be handcuffed and forced onto a departing plane.



We urge everyone to call, write and fax the officials below to demand the immediate release for Katrina Plotz and Sarah Martin, and to urge Israeli authorities to allow both women into the country to witness the reality of life inside the Palestinian Territories, where they have been invited and are welcome.



Contact the following right away:



U.S. State Department
202-647-4000
http://contact- us.state. gov/cgi-bin/ state.cfg/ php/enduser/ ask.php?p_ sid=VkRoKgzj&p_accessibility= 0&p_redirect=&p_sp=cF9zcmNoPSZwX3 NvcnRfYnk9JnBfZ3 JpZHNvcnQ9JnBfcm 93X2NudD0xMTYsMT E2JnBfcHJvZHM9Jn BfY2F0cz0mcF9wdj 0mcF9jdj0mcF9zZW FyY2hfdHlwZT1hbn N3ZXJzLnNlYXJjaF 9ubCZwX3BhZ2U9MQ **



Minister of Interior Mr. Eli Yishai
Israeli Ministry of the Interior
Tel. [phone]
Fax: [phone]

[e-mail]. il and [e-mail]. il



MN Senator Al Franken

[phone]

E-mail: info@franken. senate.gov



MN Senator Amy Klobuchar

[phone]

Web Form: klobuchar.senate. gov/emailamy. cfm

fax: [phone]

Main Line: 612-727-5220
Main Fax: [phone]

[annm4peace]

1. advise from one our friends

I called the State Dept. number (202-647-4000) and was told that there is someone "working the case" . It is a good number to call to, and of course the only one that is not answered by just a machine.

[Bjorn Against]

2. Oh no this is terrible, I know Sarah Martin and I have met Katrina as well

I hope they are OK, this is really scary.

[annm4peace]

3. Yes it is. They knew there would be bumps and are level headed

but with the 3 Americans being arrested in IRAN, I hope there isn't a ramp up for war with IRAN.

The both only have good in their hearts and are very brave woman. It should not be against the law to visit with Palestinians.

[annm4peace]

4. we'll need to try and call into Radio shows Sunday and on Monday

we have to get the word out. I'll keep people posted on Sunday. but Monday I can't post from work.

[annm4peace]

5. Sun morning Update: Sarah and Katrina are appealing their case to Israeli courts

Israeli security forces have refused entry to three U.S. solidarity activists. They are being treated as criminals, while their only goal was to learn about the reality of life for the Palestinian people. Sarah Martin and Katrina Plotz have refused voluntary deportation, and are appealing their case to the Israeli courts. Their case will be heard today, and we urge supporters to take the actions below.

Thousands of people have been denied entry by Israel, especially those who wish to see the Palestinian Territories. Not only international solidarity activists, but millions of Palestinian refugees living all over the world are prevented from returning to their homeland. Israel's policy of denying entry to people who support the Palestinian struggle and want to report on the situation, is one aspect of a campaign to isolate the Palestinian people from the world. This campaign includes hundreds military checkpoints inside the Palestinian Territories, blocking humanitarian shipments into the Gaza Strip, and the building of a massive Apartheid Wall. Palestinians experience repression every day.

Precisely because the official Israeli view receives much more widespread coverage in the U.S. media than does the impact of these policies on the lives of Palestinians, it is important that people like Sarah and Katrina be able to go and report the situation accurately, and show the Palestinian people that the world has not completely abandoned them.

In spite of its special relationship with the U.S., the Israeli government showed no regard for the rights of American visitors, whose only crime was to express solidarity with the people of occupied Palestine. Katrina and Sarah have refused to cooperate in the face of this injustice, and they need our support.

Thank you for the messages you may have sent earlier today. We urge you to keep the pressure on. Please call, write and fax the officials below to demand the immediate release for Katrina Plotz and Sarah Martin, and to urge Israeli authorities to allow them entry:

US Embassy in Tel Aviv
[e-mail]
011-972-3-519-7551

Israeli Ministry of Interior
ph - 011-972-2-629-4722
fax - 011-972-2-670-1628
[e-mail]

Israeli Consulate in Chicago
Email: [e-mail]
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]


State Dept. number (202-647-4000) and was told that there is someone "working the case" . It is a good number to call to, and of course the only one that is not answered by just a machine.

[Minnesota Raindog]

6. One more reason to pull the plug on aid to Israel

Let them defend themselves.

[annm4peace]

7. sunday Update.. Peace Activist sent and on their way home

thank you for your prayers and words of support, and calls made )
(it makes me even more worried for the women and children in Gaza, if just 3 simple Americans are denied access in Gaza)



Monday, August 3, 12:30 p.m. Greet arrival; 1:00 p.m. Press Conference Lindberg Airport (domestic flight, main airport) Baggage Claim area



From Press conference for returning Palestine delegates –

Below is the announcement for a press conference on MONDAY, AUGUST 3rd. We are asking supporters who can to join us at the airport at 12:30 p.m. (noon and one-half) so we can welcome Sarah and Katrina home, and show strong support for them at their first public statements since they were held by authorities in Israel. Please join us in the baggage claim area (riding the light rail train is a good way to avoid parking costs).



Minnesotans detained in and deported from Israel return home and speak out.



Israeli security forces refused entry to three U.S. solidarity activists for attempting to participate in a human rights delegation. They were treated as criminals, while their only goal was to learn about the reality of life for the Palestinian people. Sarah Martin, member of Women Against Military Madness, and Katrina Plotz, of the Anti-War Committee, refused voluntary deportation, and the U.S. Embassy in Tel Aviv informed us that they were forcibly deported Sunday evening. The third traveler, Karen Sullivan also of the Anti-War Committee, was already deported and returned home to Minneapolis on Sunday. Sarah and Katrina are expected to return home on a flight arriving at 12:37 p.m. on Monday, August 3. A press conference with them, their families and supporters, will happen at 1:00 p.m. in the baggage claim area of the Minneapolis/ St. Paul airport (Lindbergh Terminal).



Thousands of people have been denied entry by Israel, especially those who wish to see the Palestinian Territories. Not only international solidarity activists, but millions of Palestinian refugees living all over the world are prevented from returning to their homeland. Israel's policy of denying entry to people who support the Palestinian struggle and want to report on the situation, is one aspect of a campaign to isolate the Palestinian people from the world. This campaign includes hundreds military checkpoints inside the Palestinian Territories, blocking humanitarian shipments into the Gaza Strip, and the building of a massive Apartheid Wall. Palestinians experience repression every day.





Precisely because the official Israeli view receives much more widespread coverage in the U.S. media than does the impact of these policies on the lives of Palestinians, it is important that people like Sarah, Katrina and Karen be able to go and report the situation accurately, and show the Palestinian people that the world has not completely abandoned them.



In spite of its special relationship with the U.S., the Israeli government showed no regard for the rights of American visitors, whose only crime was to express solidarity with the people of occupied Palestine. Karen reported that she was escorted onto her departing flight by an armed Israeli guard, and that she was interrogated upon re-entering the U.S. The AWC secured council for Sarah and Katrina, but they didn’t have access to speak to their lawyer and exercise their full right to appeal their deportation. Advocates for human rights should not be treated like criminals.



Their case resulted in an outpouring of support from across the country. This will be their first public statements in the United State since their unjust detention on Saturday, August 1.

[annm4peace]

8. Now we know why activists denied entry into Palestine

Michelle Bachman wanted to visit Israel.