URGENT ACTION: Israel Refuses to allow Palestinian Special Olymic Team leave Palestine.

Thursday June 12, 2003 09:12

by Sean

Please note that the Israeli have closed the borders to travel by Palestinians and today refused to allow representatives of the Palestinian young people taking part in the Special Olympics to travel out of Palestine.

Please note that the Israeli have closed the borders to travel by Palestinians and today refused to allow representatives of the Palestinian young people taking part in the Special Olympics to travel out of Palestine.

Please express your concern to the Israeli Embassy in Dublin about the fact that these special young people may not be allowed to compete in these games, the first time they have ever been held in Ireland, the first time they have ever been held outside the USA.

If you have contact with friends or groups in the USA please ask them to do likewise. The telephone number of the Israeli Embassy is 00353 1 6680303 or email them at
info@dublin.mfa.gov.il

Meanwhile it appears that the Palestinian arrested by Immigration police at Dublin Airport early on Tuesday and forced to spend the night in Mountjoy Prison has been handed over to Immigration Police again for apparent deportation.

Mr Shadi Abbas, a Palestinian with Jordanian citizenship, was detained at Dublin Airport early on Tuesday morning.

He was travelling on a legitimate business visa issued by the Irish Embassy in Egypt. He also has a letter from his employer in Jordan stating his business.

He was arrested by immigration in Dublin because of the fact that he had been deported from the UK last year over a visa violation (overstaying his stay).

When initially contacted by friends the police were very rude and claimed that he had already been deported.
This proved to be false.

Mr Abbas had broken no law in Ireland and had no charges against him from any other country. He was visiting Ireland on legitimate business. His deportation should be protested in the strongest terms to the Irish Minister or Justice, Michael McDowell,

Postal Address 72-76,
St. Stephen's Green,
Dublin 2,
Ireland.
Main Telephone Number +353 - 1 - 6028202
Main Fax Number +353 - 1 - 6615461

Email minister@justice.ie