Protests at Paris airport as pro-Palestinians kept off flights
More than 100 pro-Palestinian activists at Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris, France were banned from boarding their flights to Israel. This led to a mass protest within the airport.
Pro-Palestinian activists staged a protest at Paris's Charles de Gaulle airport Friday after at least 100 activists were barred from boarding their flights to Israel.
Israeli media confirmed that authorities were asking airlines to prevent some blacklisted people from boarding planes to Israel as part of a wider measure to stem an influx of demonstrators.
Police and intelligence units followed online social networks used by the groups organizing the mass protest, according to the Israeli daily Haaretz.
Israel Radio said Friday that about 200 Palestinian supporters had been prevented from flying into Israel's Ben-Gurion International Airport, in Tel Aviv.
But the Associated Press reported that more arrivals were expected later on Friday, and on Saturday.
In Paris, French activist Olivia Zemor, told the Associated Press that her group, called Welcome to Palestine, planned only nonviolent activities.
The group, which includes about 600 people released a statement Friday calling the moves to prevent activists from reaching Israel “provocative, blackmailing and illegal”.
Al Jazeera reported that the protests at the Paris airport were noisy, with activists shouting at French authorities, and accusing them of being “collaborators”.
Meanwhile the Jerusalem Post said that two planes that landed in Tel Aviv on Friday afternoon had been diverted to different terminal for "more thorough checks".