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JERUSALEM, Dec 25 (AFP): Three foreign peace activists have been in Israeli police detention for five days after refusing to return home at the request of the authorities upon arrival, their lawyer said.
Israeli authorities refused entry to the Australian, Italian and South African when they flew into Ben Gurion airport to attend a peace conference in the West Bank town of Bethlehem next Tuesday.
The three peace activists refused to fly out, instead lodging an appeal with a district court in Tel Aviv, hence they were detained.
Horsell, Arrigoni and Australian Shiri Lock are waiting for a decision from a Tel Aviv court, although it is not clear when the ruling will be given.
Israel regularly forces peace activists from pro-Palestinian groups to turn back upon arrival out of fear they will demonstrate against its controversial separation barrier being built across the West Bank.
In July 2004, the UN International Court of Justice issued a non-binding ruling that parts of the barrier were illegal and should be torn down.
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