Israel bars 23-member international delegation from Birzeit University conference in West Bank
Israeli authorities turned back a 23-person international delegation of politicians and academics at the Allenby/King Hussein Bridge crossing from Jordan, stopping them from attending a conference at Birzeit University. Delegates and organisers say they were detained and questioned; no Israeli explanation is given in the coverage.
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The story, neutrally told
Mixed · 2Israeli authorities on Tuesday 27 October barred an international delegation of 23 lawmakers, politicians and academics from entering the occupied West Bank to attend a conference at Birzeit University near Ramallah. Anadolu AgencyN “Israeli authorities on Tuesday barred an international delegation of 23 lawmakers, politicians and academics from entering the occupied West Bank” Read at Anadolu Agency ↗ Arab NewsRC “Israel prevented an international delegation that included Western politicians from entering the occupied West Bank” Read at Arab News ↗ Centre · 1According to Birzeit University, the delegation was first stopped at the Allenby Bridge (also called King Hussein Bridge) crossing with Jordan on Monday, tried again on Tuesday and was refused entry a second time. Anadolu AgencyN “Israeli authorities first prevented the delegation from entering the West Bank through the Allenby Bridge, also known as King Hussein Bridge, with Jordan on Monday, the university said.”“The delegation attempted to enter again on Tuesday but was denied entry for a second time” Read at Anadolu Agency ↗ Mixed · 2Conference organisers said members were detained and questioned for several hours before being turned back; UK Labour MP Clive Lewis told The Guardian they were "detained, taken aside and then interrogated" and that it was "a deeply unpleasant experience". Anadolu AgencyN “members of the delegation were detained and questioned for several hours before being turned back” Read at Anadolu Agency ↗ Arab NewsRC “We were detained, taken aside and then interrogated” Read at Arab News ↗
Mixed · 2The two-day conference, "Global South Solidarity and Resistance to Imperialism", was organised by the university's Ibrahim Abu-Lughod Institute of International Studies and was due to begin on Tuesday; Arab News describes the event as Progressive International's Second Ramallah Congress, held in partnership with Birzeit. Anadolu AgencyN “The two-day international conference, titled “Global South Solidarity and Resistance to Imperialism,” was scheduled to begin on Tuesday.” Read at Anadolu Agency ↗ Arab NewsRC “Progressive International’s Second Ramallah Congress, an event to oppose Israel’s occupation of Palestine hosted in partnership with Birzeit University” Read at Arab News ↗ Mixed · 2The university named Labour MP Clive Lewis, former British MP Sam Tarry, Spanish Senator Josu Estarrona Elizondo and two Scottish lawmakers among the delegates; Arab News says they came from countries including Britain, Switzerland, the US, Greece, Ireland, the Netherlands, France, Spain and Luxembourg. Anadolu AgencyN “It also includes Spanish Senator Josu Estarrona Elizondo and former British lawmaker Sam Tarry.” Read at Anadolu Agency ↗ Arab NewsRC “came from countries including Britain, Switzerland, the US, Greece, Ireland, the Netherlands, France, Spain and Luxembourg” Read at Arab News ↗ Centre · 1The programme included meetings with students, academics and Palestinian civil society groups, and activities supporting Palestinian farmers during the olive harvest, which began in early October. Anadolu AgencyN “The delegation was also scheduled to meet students and academics at Birzeit University and representatives of Palestinian civil society organizations”“escalating attacks by Israeli occupiers during the olive harvest season, which began in early October” Read at Anadolu Agency ↗
Right · 1Sam Tarry said Israel made "a political decision" not to let people witness events in the West Bank, "especially ahead of the elections"; a Scottish National Party MP said they were turned away "with no reason given", and Progressive International's Laila Hazaineh said refusals would "strengthen this determination". The coverage gives no Israeli official explanation for the refusal. Arab NewsRC “made a political decision very clearly based on the fact they didn’t want people to witness what’s been going on in the West Bank, especially ahead of the elections.”“we were turned away at the border with no reason given.”“Every refusal of entry will only strengthen this determination.” Read at Arab News ↗ Mixed · 2Arab News places the refusal against a backdrop of settler and Israeli force attacks on Palestinian farmers: it cites a UN count of at least 160 settler attacks in the first two weeks of October, and reports that Defence Minister Israel Katz told officials earlier this month to pursue exclusion orders against activists travelling for the olive harvest, citing local media. Anadolu says Palestinian institutions report Israeli restrictions on their contacts with international academics and delegations. Arab NewsRC “At least 160 settler attacks took place in the first two weeks of October, according to the UN.”“Israel Katz, the country’s defense minister, told officials earlier this month to pursue exclusion orders against activists traveling to the olive-harvest season, local media reported.” Read at Arab News ↗ Anadolu AgencyN “Palestinian institutions, including universities, say they face Israeli restrictions affecting their contacts with international academics, lawmakers and delegations.” Read at Anadolu Agency ↗
Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on. The pill in front of each says where its sources sit: Left, Centre or Right when one side supplies at least half of them, Mixed when they are evenly split. The number is how many outlets it cites.
Left0 outlets
No left outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
Centre2 outlets
- Framing
- Anadolu Agency leads with the university's account of the denial of entry and the conference programme, sourced to Birzeit and conference organisers.
- Emphasis
- Names of delegates, the two refusals at Allenby Bridge, detention for several hours, and Palestinian institutions' complaints about Israeli restrictions.
- Leaves out or plays down
- No Israeli response; omits the delegates' direct quotes and the UN settler-attack figures reported by Arab News.
- Charged language
- “Israeli occupiers”“armed Zionist groups that carried out massacres”
- For example
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“escalating attacks by Israeli occupiers during the olive harvest season” — Anadolu Agency
“Israel was established in 1948 on Palestinian land seized by armed Zionist groups that carried out massacres” — Anadolu Agency
Right1 outlet
- Framing
- Arab News, relaying The Guardian, frames the refusal as Israel blocking Western politicians from witnessing events in the West Bank, led by delegates' testimony.
- Emphasis
- Direct quotes from Clive Lewis, Sam Tarry, an SNP MP and a Progressive International organiser; settler-attack statistics and Defence Minister Katz's exclusion-order instruction.
- Leaves out or plays down
- No Israeli response; gives less on the Birzeit programme and the two separate attempts to cross.
- Charged language
- “deeply unpleasant experience”“If Israel has nothing to hide”
What every side reports
- Israel barred a 23-person international delegation from entering the occupied West Bank from Jordan via the Allenby/King Hussein Bridge.
- The delegates included Western politicians such as Labour MP Clive Lewis and former MP Sam Tarry.
- The delegation was due to attend a conference hosted at or with Birzeit University near Ramallah.
- The refusal came during the olive harvest amid reported attacks on Palestinian farmers.
Where accounts differ
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Reason for the refusal
- Centre
- Coverage gives no reason; reports Palestinian institutions complain of Israeli restrictions on international contacts.
- Right
- Delegates say no reason was given; Sam Tarry calls it a political decision to avoid witnesses, and the article notes Defence Minister Katz's exclusion-order instruction.
Birzeit University organisation
Birzeit University says the delegation was refused entry twice and was due to take part in a conference run by its Ibrahim Abu-Lughod Institute of International Studies.
“The delegation attempted to enter again on Tuesday but was denied entry for a second time, the university’s public relations department told Anadolu.” — Anadolu Agency
Israel place
No Israeli statement is reported; critics cite Defence Minister Israel Katz's reported instruction to pursue exclusion orders against activists travelling for the olive harvest.
“Israel Katz, the country’s defense minister, told officials earlier this month to pursue exclusion orders against activists traveling to the olive-harvest season, local media reported.” — Arab News
Left0 articles
No coverage yet.
Centre2 articles
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Israel bars international delegation from West Bank conference at Birzeit University
Sympathetic Reports the denial from the university's perspective with background on Israeli restrictions and a one-sided historical note on Israel's founding.
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Right1 article
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Israel bars international delegation from entering West Bank
Critical Quote-led account relaying The Guardian, presenting the ban as an attempt to hide West Bank conditions, with context on settler violence.
- 27 Oct 09:29 First Anadolu AgencyN Israel bars international delegation from West Bank conference at Birzeit University
- 27 Oct 11:02 +1h 33m Arab NewsRC Israel bars international delegation from entering West Bank
- 27 Oct 11:32 +2h 3m The NationalN International delegation barred by Israel from entering West Bank to support olive harvest
Times are when each article was published, or when we first saw it if the outlet gave no time.
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