The Georgia chapter of the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR-Georgia), Joining Hands for Justice in Palestine and Israel, the Atlanta Multifaith Coalition for Palestine (AMCP), Georgia for Palestine, and other faith leaders held a press conference at Eastside United Methodist Church today to condemn the Israeli government for denying entry to U.S. citizens on an interfaith trip to learn about Palestinian Christians, and called on the U.S. government to act on their behalf.
The Israeli government’s baseless denial of entry to U.S. citizens with no criminal or immigration records in the U.S. or Israel is in violation of the visa waiver program signed by the two countries. Four of the 13 members of the delegation are Georgians.
WATCH FULL PRESS CONFERENCE HERE: Press Conference: Multi-faith Tour Group of US Citizen Denied Entry into Israel. – 11am Start
Retired Emory University theology professor Reverend Dr. Edward Phillips, who led the delegation, and his wife, Rev. Sara Webb Phillips returned to the U.S. on Saturday evening after being banned from entering Israel. The two shared their experience of being detained and questioned by Israeli authorities for hours, threatened, and being denied entry despite having valid visas.
SEE: 13 US citizens denied entry to Israel for weeklong trip to learn about Palestinian Christians
Dr. Reverend Ed Phillips stated in his comments:
“We came to visit various historical sites and to talk with Christians and other Palestinians in East Jerusalem. This is my fourth such trip. Our trip was coordinated with Sabeel, which is a non-violent resistance group in the spirit of Jesus, Martin Luther King Jr., and Gandhi.
“I was robbed of many hours’ worth of work and money setting this program up, organizing it, and the costs associated with it. We want the State Department to help us get justice. Not just for our group, but future delegations who want to go and see what is happening to Palestinians in the West Bank.”
Citing pretextual security reasons, Israel denied entry to and banned from entering the country 13 U.S. citizens, despite all thirteen people having clean records. Some had previously traveled to Israel without issue. The delegation was sponsored by Friends of Sabeel North America.
Reverend Sarah Webb Phillips shared in her remarks:
“The (border) agent said you are coming here to see how we treat the Palestinians”.
Speaking about their forced departure from Israel without entry, Reverend Sarah added, “What a welcome to a country that has reciprocal agreement with the U.S., and what a disappointment for the people who had come in solidarity for the people of the land.”
The delegation was made to surrender their passports and entry visas and told they were denied entry because they were “a threat”. They were rushed out of the country back to Jordan on a bus.
CAIR-Georgia Executive Director Azka Mahmood said in her statement:
“The (faith leaders’) denial of entry into Israel is in direct violation of the U.S. and Israeli Visa Waiver Program. Under the program, Israeli visitors to the U.S. do not require visas for stays up to 90 days. In return, Israel must offer the same admission to all American visitors without discrimination.
“By denying these American citizens entry to Israel and banning them for years, Israel has once again shown that it is not a trusted partner and engages in discriminatory practices against American citizens despite making promises and benefiting from the program.”
Reverend Keyanna Jones Moore, co-pastor at Park Avenue Baptist Church and human rights activist said in her remarks:
“Israel does not want the world to know the truth. Sabeel was formed by Palestinian Christians who refuse to be enemies. People who are part of these delegations are genuinely seeking to know, to understand and to learn.
“This entry ban is another escalation on the part of Israel, proving once again it has no regard for international law or any agreement with the U.S., and does not believe that it has to answer for breaking any rules.”
Organizers are calling on the U.S. State Department to pressure the Israeli government to reverse the visa denials and immigration bans that violate bilateral agreements. The long-term ban on entry is especially concerning considering the escalating violence against Christians and Muslims in the West Bank in the shadow of the ongoing genocide in Gaza.
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CONTACT: Azka Mahmood, Executive Director CAIR-Georgia, [email protected], 678 653 5822; L. Edward Phillips, Retired Professor of Historical Theology at Candler School of Theology, Emory University, 678-677-7783, [email protected]; Rev. Sara Webb Phillips, [email protected]