FULL CLOSURE ON OCCUPIED TERRITORIES: LAWE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR PROHIBITED FROM LEAVING WEST BANK TO ATTEND HIS OWN WEDDING

29 October 1996

(Jerusalem) Today, the Palestinian Society for the Protection of Human Rights and the Environment ("LAWE") submitted a petition to the Israeli High Court against the Israeli Minister of Defense for prohibiting LAWE's executive Director, attorney Shawqi Al-Issa from traveling to the United States to attend his own wedding. The wedding is scheduled in two weeks. Attorney Al-Issa is engaged to Ms. Jennifer Moorehead an American citizen and a volunteer researcher at LAWE.

Last Thursday, the couple was scheduled to travel to the United States, but a full-closure was imposed on the Occupied Territories as a "preventive" measure following warnings of military attacks on Israelis. Under full-closure no Palestinian is allowed to leave the Occupied Territories except for VIP's and doctors. Jewish settlers retain the full right to enter and exit the territories at any time. After twice appealing to the Israeli authorities and explaining the special circumstances of his case, the Israelis refused yesterday to issue Issa a permit to exit the West Bank and travel to the airport.

Palestinian residents of the Occupied Territories, (regardless if they are residents of the Palestinian autonomous areas) must obtain a special permit from the Israeli authorities to enter Israel and travel through the Ben Gurion airport. The airport permit is good for four hours calculating the amount of time it takes for a Palestinian from the Occupied Territories to reach the airport. Even if a Palestinian arrives at the airport with a passport and a ticket, without the Israeli-issued airport permit, s/he cannot board the plane.

In the petition to the High Court, LAWE attorney Allegra Pacheco argued that the Israeli security authorities' refusal to issue a permit for Issa because of the full closure, was a collective punishment against Issa for acts he did not commit, and for acts that have in fact not been committed at all. She contended that the Israeli refusal was arbitrary and extreme especially in light of the fact that Issa has received permits to enter Israel continuously for the last four years and thus has been cleared from all security records. Attorney Pacheco also claimed that the refusal to give Issa a permit was a discriminatory act since the decision was based solely on the fact that Issa is a Palestinian from the West Bank. No hearing has been scheduled for the petition.

LAWE views the imposition of full-closure on two million Palestinian residents of the Occupied Territories as a collective punishment and in direct contravention of international humanitarian law. The case of LAWE's executive director is a prime example of the extent to which Palestinians lives are adversely affected by the closure and how exaggerated security policies are imposed on ordinary civilians under Israeli occupation. LAWE believes that the continuation of the closure only feeds into Palestinian frustration with the peace process and sets the stage for further hostilities and violence. LAWE calls on all concerned persons to contact their Israeli consulate or embassy officials and protest the continuing closure on the Occupied Territories and the refusal to allow Issa to attend his own wedding in the United States. Send faxes also to: Yitzchak Mordechai, Minister of Defense, 972-2-3-6916940.

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LAWE - The Palestinian Society for the Protection of Human Rights and the Environment is a non-governmental organization, dedicated to preserving human rights through legal advocacy. LAWE is also an affiliate member of the Paris-based International Federation for Human Rights.