Does This Mean Norman Finkelstein Can’t Go Back for At Least 10 Years?

by on October 23, 2008 13
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Cat Stevens was denied entry to Israel, where he was going to give a concert at the 10th anniversary of the Peres Center for peace. Because he'd given money to Hamas, Israel says. A black eye for President Shimon Peres. Reports Time: "The law says that anyone declared non grata and expelled, as Stevens
was in 2000, cannot be allowed back into Israel for at least 10 years."

About Philip Weiss

Philip Weiss is Founder and Co-Editor of Mondoweiss.net.
Posted in Beyondoweiss, Israel/Palestine, US Policy in the Middle East, US Politics

{ 13 comments... read them below or add one }

  1. Sword of Gideon says:
    October 23, 2008 at 10:45 pm

    Stop the presses. Hamas supporters denied entry into Israel. The horror, the horror.

  2. Richard Witty says:
    October 24, 2008 at 6:17 am

    It doesn't serve Israel to censor intellectual discussion or cultural presentation.

    That Cat Stevens was willing to perform in Israel at all, is indication of his adoption of moderate and kind Islam, as distinct from the fanatic.

  3. Richard Witty says:
    October 24, 2008 at 6:19 am

    Forgive me for you using the name Cat Stevens. It was disrespectful.

    His name is Yusuf Islam.

  4. LeaNder says:
    October 24, 2008 at 6:30 am

    The question is: Can Israel deny Finkelstein to visit his friend in "Judea and Samaria" (this is for SOG). Has Israel's this right concerning the occupied territories.

    SOG I am really sick and tired of the money to Hamas/Hisbollah craziness. Maybe your political group should invent a system that makes donations for humanitarian vs military means transparent. At least concerning Hisbollah their support seems to firmly rest on the fact that they help people in need. It is not all just terrorism.

    Would you like to see all the donations to Israel forbidden since the money may be diverted for security and weapons?

  5. LeaNder says:
    October 24, 2008 at 6:35 am

    If this was you Richard, it surely shows a degree of disdainfulness, that is hard to ignore.

    Forgive me for you using the name Cat Stevens. It was disrespectful.

    His name is Yusuf Islam.

    Posted by: Richard Witty | October 24, 2008 at 06:19 AM

  6. Richard Witty says:
    October 24, 2008 at 6:46 am

    Leandor,
    It was sincere. I made a mistake in calling him by his former name.

    (Phil did too)

  7. LeaNder says:
    October 24, 2008 at 7:17 am

    Richard I was never a fan of Cat Stevens quite the opposite. Thus while I know about his conversion, I wouldn't have known his new name.

    Had Phil used Yusuf Islam, he would have forced me–as possibly a couple other people–to find out, who the guy is.

    *****************************************

    In judging others antisemitism you basically ask people's intention in a speech act. Beyond that it's a matter of trust versus distrust. I don't think this was an innocent comment. Even if you did your best to make if look like one.

    You understood quite well, whom Phil meant. Thus your second statement must have a different motivation. Which?

    Justifying Israel – look he converted, he may be an Islamist?
    …
    The realization you had missed a chance to find fault in Phil's message?
    Stressing his conversion/name as evidence there might be more than financial support?
    Dialog with SOG. Look I can understand this guy is suspicous. He converted after all.

    ******************************************

    I haven't converted into Leandor, no "dor" please if you don't mind, but LeaNder. I told you this before.

  8. Richard Witty says:
    October 24, 2008 at 7:35 am

    There definitely was an element of dig at Phil.

    But, the statement was accurate. I regard it as offensive to use his former name, as it was offensive to Muhammed Ali to use the name Cassius Clay after he adopted Islam.

    And, it was sincere about speaking about Yusuf Islam's approach to Islam, which is not fanatic, but peace-seeking.

  9. LeaNder says:
    October 24, 2008 at 8:33 am

    And, it was sincere about speaking about Yusuf Islam's approach to Islam, which is not fanatic, but peace-seeking.

    And that is why he was denied entry into Israel? Or since it was expected the concert was for "Arab" Israelis?

    I am not completely familiar with US pc standards. You may be correct that Phil should have used Yusuf Islam and add his old "stage name" in parenthesis.

    ******************************************
    My judgment by the way was based on the fact that you criticize I probably more than 80% of Phil's mails.

    Besides I start to wonder, if there is a law: if you keep mistrusting me, I better mistrust you.

  10. LeaNder says:
    October 24, 2008 at 8:35 am

    The "I" above is a leftover of an older version (phrasing/wording).

  11. Eva Smagacz says:
    October 24, 2008 at 9:00 am

    Yes, Dr. Finkelstein has been banned for 10 years from entering Israel as an american citizen.

    He has an option to demand entry under the right of return.

    He didn't want to go to Israel at all, he wanted to visit a friend in West Bank, something he has been doing for years.

  12. Richard Witty says:
    October 24, 2008 at 9:09 pm

    "My judgment by the way was based on the fact that you criticize I probably more than 80% of Phil's mails."

    I criticize what I disagree with. When Phil speaks of things he respects, he gets my respect. When he disses only, he doesn't get my respect.

    We genuinely disagree on the truthfulness, benevolence, and weight of the Walt/Mearsheimer thesis.

  13. Richard Witty says:
    October 24, 2008 at 9:17 pm

    LeanDer,
    I think you should avoid judgement entirely, and inquire rather.

    Suspicion is NOT a state of mind that gets very far at anything.

    The denial of any "we" is what I consider fraudulent or empty.

    I very much am part of multiple "we's" that I identify with strongly. Family primarily, but also Judaism (Zionism much more secondarily), community, region.

    For a very long time, I held universalistic views, relying on a community of activists for identity and support. That community turned out to be unreliable personally, and dogmatic ideologically.

    My views shifted.

    If you really dove into supporting progressive efforts, really risking your and family's future, you'd likely find betrayal among the "progressive" community.

    You'd have some characteristic or important concern that deviated from the politically correct. And, the left and left/right would reject you.

    Its in the structure of identity by dissent, by contesting, rather than by involvement.

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