Jewish-American Activist threatened with deportation from Israel

INTERNATIONAL SOLIDARITY MOVEMENT

July 12, 2004

For Immediate Release

Jamie Spector, a social worker from San Francisco has been detained at Tel Aviv's

Ben Gurion Airport yesterday and is facing deportation. As a member of the

International Solidarity Movement (ISM), Jamie was planning on taking part in

non-violent demonstrations with Palestinians, Israelis, and other internationals

against the "Apartheid Wall", the barrier Israel is building in the occupied West

Bank. At least a dozen human rights advocates have been denied access to the

Occupied Palestinian Territories over the past month and turned back by Israel at

Ben Gurion Airport.

Spector has traveled to Israel and Palestine once before with ISM, a Palestinian-led

movement of Palestinian and international activists that utilizes nonviolent,

direct-action methods of resistance to confront and challenge illegal Israeli

occupation forces and policies. ISM has not been declared an illegal organization

in Israel, though it is becoming clear that affiliation with ISM is grounds for

being refused entry into the country.

In San Francisco, Spector works with Jews for a Free Palestine, an organization

dedicated to ending Israel's occupation of Palestine and the recognition of

Palestinian refugee's right to return to their historic homeland. "Israel claims to

be the homeland for Jews everywhere, but a Jew can't even get in the country if she

takes issue with Israel's gross violation of international law; this speaks volumes

about the hypocrisy of Israel's policies in the Occupied Territories and in Israel

itself," said Eric Romann, Spector's friend and a fellow member of Jews for a Free

Palestine.

Stephen and Annette Spector, Jamie's parents and said they fully support their

daughter's actions and referred to her as "an angel of peace."

Earlier this week, the International Court of Justice in The Hague ruled that major

portions of the barrier violate international law, saying that it was "tantamount to

annexation of Palestinian land" and it "severely impeded the exercise by the

Palestinian people of its right to self-determination."

The Court called on Israeli officials to cease new construction of the Wall in

occupied Palestine, tear down sections, and compensate Palestinians whose land it

cuts across or whose interests have otherwise been harmed (New York Times and

Ha'aretz, July 10, 2004).

Jamie made this statement Sunday, July 11:

"As a Jewish person, I can understand how Israelis are concerned for their security,

given the long history of our oppression. At the same time, this is not the whole

story of the Jews. Jewish people have fought for social justice, in the communities

where we live and in support of others. It is to this Jewish heritage that I am

most connected. As a Jewish person of conscience, I see the illegal Apartheid Wall

that is being built as a modern Warsaw Ghetto. As a Jewish person, it is my

responsibility to do everything I can to oppose this wall, and the unjust occupation

of Palestinians. I will struggle nonviolently alongside the thousands of

Palestinians who are nonviolently protesting everyday."