How Travelers Exposed Israel's Racist Border Laws | Activist History

In 2011, Palestinians in the West Bank invited people of conscience from across the world to visit Palestine with the aim of drawing attention to the cruelty of life under the occupation, in general, and racist Israeli border policies, in particular. In the first year, 300 people from around the world flew to Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv and unfurled their “Welcome to Palestine” banners, creating a dramatic scene at the airport. The Israeli authorities reacted as expected by attacking the protestors, ripping down their signs, and deporting or detaining them. As a result, their actions gained international media attention and exposed the repression and racism of Israeli policies, leading the Israeli regime to launch a massive PR campaign in an attempt to save face.