Statement in Solidarity with Niklas Berg of PGS

international | rights, freedoms and repression | press release

Thursday October 07, 2010 12:45

by IPSC - IPSC

The Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign (IPSC) strongly condemns the detention at Ben Gurion Airport on 5th October 2010 and subsequent deportation by Israeli authorities of Niklas Berg of the Palestine Solidarity Association of Sweden (PGS).

The Purpose of Mr. Berg’s mission to Palestine (which has no autonomous border and can only be accessed by air through Israel) was to monitor the projects and meet representatives of the organisations that receive development aid from the Swedish development agency Sida through PGS.

Mr. Berg was interrogated at length by Israeli security officials and a full list of every Palestinian he had ever met together with a list of all activists involved in Mr. Berg’s organisation was demanded of him under threat of week-long detention.

We commend Mr. Berg’s refusal to accede to these outrageous Israeli demands, and salute both his and PGS’s ongoing peace and humanitarian efforts in solidarity with the Palestinian people.

ENDS