Free speech is a problem in the Middle East. The chief English editor for the Bethlehem-based Ma’an news agency, Jared Malsin, late of Vermont, has been detained at Ben Gurion airport, with a hearing set for Saturday. Apparently he was on El Al. Apparently he is Jewish, or half-Jewish. And has even gone on the birthright trip. (More at this site). Mya Guarnieri at Huffpo:
Jared Malsin, the editor of the English edition of Maan News Agency, has been detained by Israeli authorities.
Malsin, a Jewish-American who lives and works in the West Bank, was picked up on Tuesday at Ben Gurion International Airport, as he and his partner returned from vacation in the Czech Republic. After being subjected to eight hours of interrogation, Malsin was deemed a security threat and was slated to be deported to Prague Thursday morning.
Why?
Maan states: Hebrew-language interrogation transcripts obtained by Ma’an reveal that Malsin was deemed a security risk on the apparent basis of his political beliefs. Interrogators gathered online research into the journalist’s writing history, which the transcripts indicate included news stories "criticizing the State of Israel," among other allegations that he "authored articles inside the territories."
Although Bethlehem-based Maan is identified as a Palestinian news service, it is widely known as an independent media outlet–free of political agendas and noted for its unbiased reporting. As such, it is attracting a steadily growing readership, receiving over 3 million visitors a month.
Malsin appealed the deportation order and was scheduled to stand before a judge in Tel Aviv on Thursday morning. But according to Maan’s lawyer, Castro Daoud, the hearing has been delayed until Sunday for unknown reasons.
The Committee to Protect Journalists issued the following statement on the case:
“Forcing a journalist who has violated no laws to leave Israel and the Occupied Territories is unacceptable,” said Mohamed Abdel Dayem, CPJ’s program coordinator for the Middle East and North Africa. “Israel cannot hide behind the pretext of security to sideline journalists who have done nothing more than maintain an editorial line that the authorities dislike. Israel should release Jared Malsin without delay and allow him to resume his work.”
It now appears that Malsin’s deportation has been temporarily stayed.
Here’s an example of why he is detained–get it before it evaporates in intentionally and obtusely abstract
Witty versions of events:
link to maannews.net
Israelis are running scared before the truth.
How come a person with his “political beliefs” flies with El-Al?
One would think he would be boycotting that company, given its long history of discriminating against Palestinians and Arabs in general.
The real problem is that there is no way to get in or out of the WB without passing through Israeli security. And this will not change under any proposed “state”. Any Palestinian can be arrested at any time for any reason or no reason with no due process of law. There is no security.
Plus, sometimes you have to take what you can get. I’ve flown El Al, even though I would really rather not
BBC has picked this up: link to news.bbc.co.uk
Avi, not sure if there are a lot of options flying to and from Prague.
Many European carriers do, actually. I flew with Air France once. It’s certainly not an obscure destination. By the way, El-Al are known for their high prices.
Israeli detention/suppression of free speech bleeds into American media as well:
link to counterpunch.org
ht to Citizen for the link
Freedom of speech is not that much of a problem in the Middle East as it’s in the West. Most of Middle East countries are run by pro-colonial monarchies and family-run ‘civilian dictatorships’. When these puppets censor the freedom of speech – they are hailed as ‘protecting the modernity’ from Islamists. In the West, when someone criticizes Israel or Zionism or question the “Six Million Died” – he is labeled as a threat to the security of that country – even if the Jewish population is less than 0.5% of the country’s total population.
“Freedom of Press” for whom
link to rehmat1.wordpress.com
Sizing up Obama–Israel Firsters can rest calmly; Obama relies on his Jewish political advisers for all things pertaining to Israel:
link to lennybendavid.com
Only on Israel? Because it seems to me we see Rahm Emmanuel at bat on the health care issue at least as often as we see Obama himself.
That’s because RE links the two issues; Obama needs to go along with his gate keeper and Congress on how to enhance support for Israel if he hopes to get a US national health law passed. That’s how it works in the US White House and Congress, didn’t you know? First things first.
RE: Jared Malsin, the editor of the English edition of Maan News Agency
SAMPLE LETTER/E-MAIL: [Dear Representative, Senator, President]
Please stand up for press freedom and for American citizens abroad. Please make a public statement calling for Israel to release journalist Jared Malsin, a US citizen, and allow him to continue his critical journalistic work in the Palestinian Territories.
Malsin is editor in chief of Ma’an English, an excellent news agency headquartered in Bethlehem and the largest independent news organization in the Palestinian Territories.
It is essential that Americans, who give Israel $7 million per day, be accurately informed on Israel-Palestine. If Ma’an’s ability to report the news is diminished through the incarceration and expulsion of its editors and the intimidation of its staff, our ability to learn the facts will be disastrously reduced.
The Committee to Protect Journalists has called for Malsin’s immediate release, stating: “Forcing a journalist who has violated no laws to leave Israel and the Occupied Territories is unacceptable…Israel should release Jared Malsin without delay and allow him to resume his work.”
YOU CAN USE THE FCNL (QUAKERS) SITE TO E-MAIL YOUR SENATORS, CONGRESSMAN, AND THE PRESIDENT ALL AT ONCE –
link to capwiz.com
First of all, I want to thank DICKERSON3870 for the sample letter he has provided above. Contacting your representatives is so important.
That being said, I’m a friend of Jared’s and what we are really encouraging people to do is to contact the Israeli consulates and embassies in your home countries and express your disgust to them. It is crucial to do this today, and as early as possible, as Jared’s deportation hearing is scheduled for Sunday so today is the last opportunity to do this before he goes before Justice Solokov.
Any help any person can give, in this respect, will be appreciated beyond words by all of us who care about Jared, and care about freedom of the press.
Apparently, reality not only has a liberal bias, it has an anti-Zionist slant as well.
Pingback: Washington Redskins Critical Victory III Tee, X-Large | Washington Redskins NFL Announcer
The only democracy in the Middle East, do you still believe in this Hasbara? Where is Dick witty and his friends? will be interesting to hear them on this subject!