Daily Alert Archives

The Long History of Politically Motivated Travel Bans

(Tablet) Liel Leibovitz - To describe Israel's decision to bar Congresswomen Rashida Tlaib and Ilhan Omar from entering the country as a violation of democratic norms is simply bonkers. In 2005, Narendra Modi, now India's prime minister, was to visit New York and address a rally for Indian-Americans in Madison Square Garden. The visit never happened. The State Department argued that, having failed to stop deadly riots years earlier in which Hindus killed Muslims in Gujarat, where he was the top official at the time, Modi shouldn't be allowed in. Great Britain has banned a host of individuals whose opinions or actions it found distasteful: In the 1950s, it refused to let future prime minister Menachem Begin in, arguing that he once engaged in violence against Her Majesty's Armed Forces as a leader of the pre-state paramilitary Irgun. Exercising their right to defend themselves, democracies reserve the right to keep out anyone they feel might endanger them in any way. Israel argues that avid supporters of a movement, BDS, whose overtly stated goal is the destruction of Israel as a Jewish state, represent a threat to the country.
2019-08-16 00:00:00
Full Article