Israel Matzav

Jewish Israeli MK barred from US

The United States has refused to grant a visa to Jewish Israeli MK Michael Ben Ari (National Union) due to his past affiliation with Meir Kahane's Kach movement. Kahane emigrated from the US to Israel in the 1970's, and was eventually murdered by a 'Palestinian' terrorist outside the midtown Manhattan Marriott Hotel in 1990. Kach is a designated terror organization in the United States.

Knesset Speaker Reuven Rivlin has sent a letter to the US Ambassador in Israel, Daniel Shapiro, urging that the U.S. reconsider a decision not to let MK Michael Ben Ari enter it.

The text of the letter follows:

Your Excellency,

MK Michael Ben Ari has informed me that the United States Consulate has notified him that they are unable to grant him a visitor's visa on the basis of a section of the US Immigration and Nationality Act that allows the refusal to grant a visa to anyone who has been involved in a terrorist action or who serves as the representative or member of an organization defined as a foreign terrorist organization by the American Secretary of State.

I wish to express to you my protest at this decision and to ask that this decision be reconsidered.

Mr. Ben Ari is a Member of Knesset representing the National Union Faction, a faction that has fully legitimate status in the Israel parliament. As an elected public representative in the State of Israel, a close friend of the United States, he should neither be considered a member of any terrorist organization nor should be prevented from visiting the United States.

We take a very serious view of this decision to disqualify an elected public representative of the State of Israel, that is governed by the rule of law and democratic principles.

I await your prompt response.

Yours sincerely,

Reuven (Ruby) Rivlin

Speaker of Knesset.

Ben Ari summed it up best:

"The US administration that welcomes with open arms Ahmadinejad, who calls for the destruction of Israel; Abu Mazen, who planned the murder of children at Maalot; and Ahmed Tibi, who excitedly encourages shaheeds, has chosen to block my path in meeting Jewish communities in the US and encouraging aliyah to Israel, in the claim that I am a terrorist. Now one can understand that the American blindness that does not perceive who the terrorists are, is what brought upon them the terrible terror attacks of September 11."

Indeed.

Labels: Kach, Michael Ben Ari

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 2:20 AM