A Montreal-based solidarity activist, alternative journalist and frequent contributor to rabble was barredfrom entering Israel last Saturday. Stefan Christoff, who is a memberof the International Solidarity Movement (ISM) and a media activist,attempted to cross into Israel from Jordan.

Border officials held Christoff for several hours. He was interrogatedand thoroughly searched before being barred entry. Christoff wasunilaterally deemed a “security threat” to Israel; no proof or explanationwas provided. Border guards threatened to remove him by force if he didnot return to Jordan.

Christoff has been active with Palestinian solidarity issues inMontreal, raising awareness as a radio journalist and a member of the ISM.He is a producer andhost at CKUT Radio in Montreal as well as a correspondent for Free SpeechRadio News in the United States.

Christoff is sympathetic to the Palestinianstruggle for self-determination. He was attempting to witness andreport first-hand the day-to-day reality of the illegal Israeli occupationof Palestine.

His refusal is part of the Israeli practice of systematicallytargeting Palestinian solidarity activists and alternative journalists.Israeli authorities have attempted to bar many from ever entering thecountry, while others are targeted for arrest for their work as observersand participants at non-violent actions against theoccupation. In one case, the Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) murdered anISM activist (Rachel Corrie), while another still lies in a coma as aresult of IOF bullets (Tom Hurndall).

Canadian ISM members have previously challenged the “security threat”designation in Israeli courts when they were in Israel, and have wonfavourable decisions. With his forced removal from the Israeli-Jordanianborder, Christoff cannot effectively challenge his barring.

The barring of Palestinian sympathizers continues the Israelipolicy of isolating Palestinians from the rest of the world. Canadianauthorities are complicit in this process by not assertively defendingCanadian nationals who are arbitrarily barred from Israel or forciblyremoved. Based on previous cases, it is clear that informationabout non-violent activists in Canada is being passed on to the Israeliauthorities.

ISM Montreal strongly encourages supporters to contact both Canadian and Israeliauthorities to assertively and politely express disapproval of thetreatment of Palestinian solidarity activists, and in particular, StefanChristoff. ISM Montreal asks that supporters denounce the context in which the barringof foreign activists occurs: the illegal occupation of Palestine byIsrael, and the refusal of Palestinians to cede their right toself-determination.