Kim Bullimore

Kate Raphel-Bender, a Jewish activist was forcibly deported from Israel on January 16. Raphel-Bender, an activist with the International Women's Peace Service, had been arrested along with another anti-wall activist, Kelly Minio-Paleullo in the village of Bil'in on December 14 as they filmed the brutal beating by Israeli occupation forces of a Palestinian teenager.

Both Minio-Paleullo and Raphel-Bender were singled out by the Israeli secret police and brutally assaulted as they were arrested. Minio-Paleullo was deported on December 24, however, Raphel-Bender was successful in winning the right to appeal Israel's order to deport her on December 28.

Raphel-Bender stated in her appeal challenge that Israel had no right to deport her for challenging illegal acts and argued that “The Apartheid Wall has been held to be illegal by the International Court of Justice. Israel has been ordered to cease construction of the wall. The International Court ruling requires foreign governments to take steps to force Israel to comply with the ruling. Foreign governments have not met this obligation.”

Despite winning the right to challenge Israel's deportation

order, an Israeli judge refused to hear Raphel-Bender's appeal which had been set by the Israeli courts for January 16, because her visa was no longer valid.

Raphel-Bender's visa was due to expire on January 15 and she had petitioned the court to have her hearing held on or before January 9. The Israeli court refused her petition.

Commenting on the ruling, Raphael-Bender said, “To lock up a non- violent human rights activist until the day her visa has expired, deny her request to move the hearing so she would have time left on her visa, and then say she has no right to appeal because her visa has lapsed is conduct we would expect from a totalitarian regime, not a country which wants to be called a democracy”.

More than 40 activists turned out in support of Raphel-Bender. After the hearing, Raphael Bender was forcibly removed from the court by Israeli police as her supporters attempted to say goodbye.

From Green Left Weekly, January 26, 2005.
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