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Leader Of Islamic Movement Forbidden To Leave Israel
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| Salah
accuses Israel of national and religious descrimination |
NAZARETH,
Feb. 17 (IslamOnline & News Agencies) - Sheikh Raed Salah, the leader of the
Islamic Movement in Palestine accused the authorities of "national and
religious discrimination" Sunday after discovering he was not allowed to
leave the country, news agencies reported.
Salah,
a vocal opponent of the Israeli occupation of Palestinian land, told AFP he was
due to leave Israel for an Islamic convention in Qatar, but on arrival at Tel
Aviv airport was told the interior ministry had imposed a travel ban on him.
“This
is yet another expression of the policy of national and religious discrimination
practiced by Israel, and a return to military-style government,” he said.
Israel’s
Interior Minister Eli Yishai signed an order Saturday Salah from leaving Israel
for six months due to "security considerations." The Shin Bet Security
Service recommended that Yishai sign the order, Israel’s daily Ha’aretz
reported.
Salah
was made aware of the order only when he arrived at Ben Guiron airport Sunday
morning where he was supposed to fly to Qatar.
He
presented the visa he received from the Qatari interior ministry to security
guards and Border Police.
Salah
had received an invitation to visit Qatar a few weeks ago from a non profit
Islamic organization. He was to hold a series of meetings with founders of the
organization as well as other people.
Salah,
who until six weeks ago was the mayor of Umm El-Fahm, an Arab Israeli village
north of Nazareth, was referring to the period between 1948 and 1967 when Arab
Israelis were subject to what they considered as a form of military government.
“This
is a campaign of state terrorism against the Arab population in Israel and
against Islam," he said.
“The
interior ministry was not available for comment, but the on-line edition of the
Israeli daily Ha’aretz said the travel ban was "for security
reasons".
In
a statement presented to AFP, the Islamic movement condemned the ban, decrying
it as "a very severe act against the Islamic leaders in Israel".
In
October 2000, Saleh survived an Israeli assassination attempt in his home town
of Umm El-Fahm, and was hospitalized with slight head injuries.
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