Blackburn man's anger after being refused entry into Israel (From Lancashire Telegraph)
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Blackburn man's anger after being refused entry into Israel
6:40pm Wednesday 8th September 2010 in
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- By Sam Chadderton » Reporter
A BLACKBURN man has been banned from visiting his sick elderly mother in Tel Aviv following a 12-hour immigration nightmare at the hands of Israeli Security Forces.
Mahmoud Abu El Hawa, 52, from Denville Road, Blackburn, his wife Muna and daughter flew from Manchester on Thursday, September 2, and arrived at Tel Aviv airport at 5pm.
The trip came as high level talks took place to end the Israel-Palestine conflict.
But on arrival, the group was stopped by security, asked to produce passports and explain about their family history.
They were allowed through to passport control where they were again asked about their heritage.
Then, according to Mr Abu El Hawa, he had his three-month visiting visa taken away and his wife, daughter and another friend were put in an immigration hall to await questioning.
After seven hours of waiting and questioning, Mr Abu El Hawa claims he was accused of ‘collecting money for terrorists’ by a ‘very aggressive’ member of the Israeli Security Forces.
When his daughter protested, she was told to ‘sit down and not speak’.
He then let officers go through his mobile and emails, but was told he would be going back to England after having his visa ripped up for ‘security reasons’.
The rest of the group were allowed to continue their visit, but Mr Abu El Hawa was taken to a detention centre overnight and ‘treated like a criminal’.
His family paid £550 for a flight back to London. The salesman for A-Z Catering, Shadsworth Road, said: “I have been a British citizen for almost 30 years and throughout this time I have visited Israel at least twice a year. My mother is very ill and I want to spend as much time with her as possible.
“I have never experienced any problems like this at Israeli border control and I can think of no reason why I have been refused entry on this occasion."
A spokesman for the Israeli Embassy in London said: “Any sovereign country has the right to decide who might not get into their country. "
Comments(18)
A Darener
says...
9:53pm Wed 8 Sep 10
Come the Revolution
says...
10:20pm Wed 8 Sep 10
retired one
says...
10:23pm Wed 8 Sep 10
Come the Revolution wrote:I agree with you.
Pity we dont have the Israelis running our Immigration Centres.
s_smith
says...
4:27am Thu 9 Sep 10
lancastrian lass
says...
9:14am Thu 9 Sep 10
Just remember this is the same State that ripped our great country off by forging GB passports for their own menas....the Israelis are no one's friends, not even America's....one just has to look at how they even spy on America!!!
Jimmy Paterson
says...
9:18am Thu 9 Sep 10
lancastrian lass
says...
10:01am Thu 9 Sep 10
HU
says...
10:12am Thu 9 Sep 10
lancastrian lass wrote:Well said
It never ceases to amaze me as to how stupid some people's posts are on here...how is it proper immigration control when the guy had a legitimate visitor's visa and was going to visit his sick mother? Please do explain??
These lot are plain stupid!
He was not found trying to get in the country through the border or running accross a field! He had a Visa he goes twice a year but this time he was refused!
Do you lot even read the article it just comment on the title??
palestinian
says...
10:41am Thu 9 Sep 10
duke bar
says...
12:12pm Thu 9 Sep 10
Unlike the Uk who lets every asylum seeker and his dog come here .
Not sure why this should be in the paper at all.Sounds like a propoganda article to me.
I have been stopped at Manchester Airport . I do not run to the newspaper crying about it.
Where's_the_beef?
says...
12:17pm Thu 9 Sep 10
makaveli96
says...
12:29pm Thu 9 Sep 10
Apparently Jimmy 5 bellies has!
HU
says...
1:03pm Thu 9 Sep 10
duke bar wrote:But where you denide entry into the uk?
Well done Israel check everyone who comes into your land. Unlike the Uk who lets every asylum seeker and his dog come here . Not sure why this should be in the paper at all.Sounds like a propoganda article to me. I have been stopped at Manchester Airport . I do not run to the newspaper crying about it.
He's not complaining he got stopped! It's that he got refused entry into the country!
Where's_the_beef?
says...
2:20pm Thu 9 Sep 10
toomuchtalk
says...
6:19pm Thu 9 Sep 10
icannotrace
says...
8:56pm Thu 9 Sep 10
Where's_the_beef? wrote:Correct. The only requirement is "Passports must be valid for at least six months after period of intended stay".
Since my last post, I have been reliably informed that no visa is required for British citizens wishing to say in Israel for less than three months, which means that Sam Chadderton's claims that Mr. Abu El Hawa "was told he would be going back to England after having his visa ripped up" even more bogus. Did you make that one up then Sam? More red herrings here than Billingsgate Market!
.
Although to be fair it doesn't actually say he was travelling on a British passport we just make the assumption as he says he has been a British citizen for 30 years.
.
I think there are 2 sides to this story
thermio
says...
1:30pm Fri 10 Sep 10
palestinian wrote:I think you will find that Israel was founded thousands of years before it was conquered by muslims.
to the zionest (israeli) embassy you know very well that the sovereign country name is palestine . Israel is made by the british jews zionest lover gorverment in 1917 , it will always be PALESTINE AND THE DAY COMING SOON .
As some muslims are only too keen to point out that the Crusaders stole their land in the middle ages, lets be fair and say that prior to all that it was the home of the Jews.
As for 'british jews zionest(sic) lover', I don't see too many of those jews we love so much, I tend to see more muslims.
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Come the Revolution says...
7:46pm Wed 8 Sep 10