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A press officer for The Left group in the European Parliament, Manus Carlisle, said Israeli authorities deported him after detaining him for approximately eight hours at Ben Gurion International Airport, citing political activism, previous travel to the occupied West Bank, and opposition to Israel, Anadolu reports.
Carlisle, who was traveling with his partner to participate in the olive harvest in the occupied West Bank as part of the Fa3za campaign, said the couple were denied entry into Israel upon arrival at Ben Gurion International Airport in Tel Aviv.
The Fa3za campaign coordinates volunteers and solidarity efforts between Palestinian villages facing attacks, seeking to support communities, and help protect farmers during the olive harvest season.
Speaking to Anadolu, he said the couple had anticipated difficulties entering the country but were nevertheless “shocked” by the experience, describing an interrogation process during which Israeli officials allegedly demonstrated detailed knowledge of their political activities and social media presence.
READ: More than 2,600 Palestinians displaced as Israeli army continues large-scale offensive in Hebron
“They (Israeli officials) didn’t like the Irish passport, and they didn’t like that I had spent time in Bethlehem before. Eventually, we were told that they knew every demonstration we had ever been on, and every social media post we had ever made,” he said.
Carlisle said the couple had taken steps to remove social media content relating to Israel approximately one month before traveling, hoping this would make their entry into the country less difficult.
He added that they “were denied entry after about eight hours,” and that Israeli officials said it is “because you hate Israel.”
He said the couple were subsequently transferred to a deportation holding area after spending around eight hours in detention at the airport.
There, they encountered two other Irish men who had also been traveling to participate in the same olive harvest initiative.
“They were definitely on the lookout for us specifically,” he said.
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