Israel Matzav

Undiplomatic behavior

Haaretz publishes more details Wednesday of the 'Palestinian' Fulbright scholars' visa revocation. From the sounds of things a US diplomat did some very undiplomatic things.

At 8 P.M., when the [Allenby Bridge] border crossing [between Israel and Jordan] closes, the Israeli border terminal workers approached the U.S. diplomats and suggested they return to Gaza and try crossing the following day, after having dealt with the passport matter. "I'm not interested, I'm not moving from here until they open the bridge," said one American diplomat and sat down in the road in protest.

After consulting with the Foreign Ministry, the Defense Ministry and the office of the Shin Bet chief, it was decided to leave the bridge open, until the Jordanians finally agreed to the Americans' request at 9 P.M. and allowed the Palestinians to pass. But this was not the end of the two Palestinians' travails.

The high school student remained in Amman for a few days. His friend departed for Washington on Saturday night. However, after a 12-hour flight, when he got to the border control station in Washington, an unpleasant surprise awaited him. The U.S. immigration officials informed him that his visa has been canceled and put him on a plane back to the Jordanian capital. The high school student, who was still waiting in Amman, was notified that his visa had been canceled, too. He already returned to Gaza yesterday, disappointed, while his friend remains frustrated in Jordan.

Israel has asked the State Department in Washington for some clarifications, and local officials are especially upset at the behavior of the American diplomat at the Allenby Bridge. "It's a disgrace," said a senior Foreign Ministry official. "If I had behaved that way at an American border crossing, I'd either be in jail or no longer in the U.S."

A spokesman for the U.S. State Department told The New York Times, which first reported yesterday on the revocation of the visas that the visas were canceled because of new information received by the U.S. authorities. The paper reported that Rice was unhappy about the way these cases were handled and that a thorough review had been ordered to prevent a recurrence.

You can bet that 'diplomat' (here's betting he's from the 'East Jerusalem Consulate' US Embassy to 'Palestine)' wouldn't have pulled that stunt in any other country in the world either.

Read the whole thing. When you do you will find out that the problem was that 'Palestinians' from Gaza are generally not allowed to enter Jordan. I wonder how many of you will be surprised by the treatment that 'Palestinians' from Gaza get from their 'Palestinian' brothers.

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 7:58 AM