This is a email from Jaggi Singh that was posted on the coll...@cmaq.net list.

First, thanks to all of you who helped support me while I was detained by Israeli security. Your efforts were really overwhelming (both in Palestine/Israel, and back in Canada). Nothing to say except thanks for your solidarity.

JAGGI SINGH REFUSED ENTRY INTO ISRAEL

December 17, 2002, 7:30am
East Jerusalem

It's dawn here, and I've just checked into a hostel in East Jerusalem, after a short overnight ride from Tel Aviv. Here's a quick update:

1) First, thanks to all of you who helped support me while I was detained by Israeli security. Your efforts were really overwhelming (both in Palestine/Israel, and back in Canada). Nothing to say except thanks for your solidarity.

2) I've now been released by security officials after being detained at the airport since Saturday evening (when my flight landed at Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion Airport). When I was refused entry after seven hours of questions, searches and waiting, I told the Israeli police officials that there was no way they were going to put my back on the plane without some sort of physical confrontation. That initiated a legal process, pursued skillfully by Israeli attorney Shamai Leibowitz, that led to my eventual release. However, I was earlier this morning released under certain very specific conditions:

i) I cannot visit the Palestinian territories.
ii) I must leave Israel by December 23, 2002
iii) Someone had to post US$5000 bail (this was posted by an Israeli peace activist from Tel Aviv).
iv) I must report my address in Israel to the state authorities.

I AM allowed to use a megaphone in Israel, so things aren't all that bad. ... But seriously, initially, the Israeli security services refused to admit me because I was a security threat. During my court hearing, the state attorney made reference to my involvement in anti-globalization protests, as well as "secret evidence" in the hands of Shin Bet (the Israeli General Security Services). In accordance with Israeli law, this evidence was presented to the judge in a closed hearing (everyone had to leave the court except the judge, state attorney and security officials). Even with this "secret evidence", the judge allowed me to stay for at least a week. Clearly, the "secret evidence" was a smokescreen, since no real "security threat" would be allowed to travel freely in Israel for one day, let alone one week.

The real fear here is that I, along with other internationals, might be involved in active solidarity work with Palestinian activists, which is why the conditions above were imposed. The state attorney was quite
insistent that I must leave before December 23, because the situation in Palestine gets hotter than normal around Christmas. Last year, ISM activists played an important role during the Israeli siege of the Church of the Nativity in Bethelem.

3) So, will I obey the conditions? Well, I came here to help support the International Solidarity Movement (ISM) --http://www.palsolidarity.org -- a Palestinian-led non-violent direct action movement in the occupied territories. I'm not sure how I can allow an occupying power to dictate whether I can visit the territories they occupy illegally. I'll figure a few things out in the next few days, but if the Palestinian activists from the ISM think I might be useful in occupied Palestine, then I can't see how I'll let some half-baked Israeli court conditions stop me. I'm being quite open about this, because there's no reason to be clandestine about the above-ground work of ISM activists and their allies. It's the security service that needs to be clandestine with their closed door hearings and secret evidence.

4) I want to acknowledge the incredible support of Israeli peace activists here. At least 5 attended my evening court hearing in Tel Aviv, and were quite outspoken in their support, as well as their condemnation of the Israeli security service. This is all part of a very real emerging alliance between Israeli dissenters and international activists, together in solidarity with the Palestinian-led struggle for self-determination.

5) On a personal note, I've always wanted to visit Jerusalem since I was a boy and I first started reading Bible stories. I'm exhilirated to be finally here. As much as the political reasons above, I refused to be deported on Saturday, because I wasn't going to let some security bureaucrats prevent me from seeing such an important place. But I never really imagined that my first visit to Jerusalem would be in a police mini-van, on my way, as a petitioner, to the Israeli Supreme Court (who after some discussion, referred the matter back to Tel Aviv District Court). I'm now somewhat freer to travel as I see fit (only in Israel), and I've set up base as close as I can get to the occupied territories without leaving Israel proper.

I was able to file audio reports on CKUT (Montreal) and CKLN (Toronto). They're available online, but I'll need to post the URLs later. Hoping to file more audio and written reports in the upcoming weeks direct from the occupied territories of Palestine. Will be in touch again soon. --
Jaggi Singh

PS: To write by e-mail, send messages to both jag...@tao.ca and jagg...@yahoo.ca.