Israel's Shin
Bet security service has barred Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza from
using the Ben-Gurion International Airport, citing "terror" attacks, the
Ha'aretz daily reported Wednesday.
"The policy on the exit of
Palestinians through the Ben-Gurion International Airport is reviewed from time
to time according to current security assessment and the circumstances of
specific requests," the Shin Bet was quoted as saying.
"The policy is decided by the
Shin Bet together with other bodies in the security services," it added.
The Shin Bet systematically
prevents Palestinian passengers from entering the only international airport,
one of the most highly protected sites in the country, the report said.
Since the Palestinian intifada
(uprising) broke out in Sept. 2000, the Shin Bet has issued less permission for
Palestinians to use the airport.
The Shin Bet issues almost no
permits at all now, and allows people to leave only in specific cases, defined
as clear humanitarian cases, mainly serious medical cases, the report said.
In rare cases, the security
service allows Palestinians on official mission or Palestinian VIPs to take off
or land at the Ben-Gurion airport.
However, senior Palestinian
officials in contact with Israeli officials have been deprived of this
privilege.
Former Palestinian security
chiefs Mahmoud Dahlan and Jibril Rajoub, who are to hold meetings with Israeli
and European officials, had to travel today only through Cairo or Amman.
Ordinary Palestinians who wish
to go abroad have to use airports in neighboring Jordan or Egypt.
West Bank residents who wish to
fly are obliged to cross the border to Jordan and use the Amman airport, while
Palestinians from Gaza have to cross through the Rafah border to Egypt.
Before the outbreak of the
intifada, thousands of Palestinians from the West Bank and Gaza used to leave
the territories through the Ben-Gurion airport. Enditem