Government and EU urged to demand that Israel drop travel ban on Omar Barghouti

Omar Barghouti is scheduled to speak at the Robert Tressell Festival in Dublin on May 24 but may not be able to attend due to Israel's de-facto travel ban. File picture: Nasser Nasser/AP

Filmmaker Ken Loach is among those who have signed an open letter calling on the Government and the EU to intervene against Israel’s decision not to allow a renowned Palestinian human rights defender travel to Ireland.

Academics, politicians, and campaigners have condemned a de-facto travel ban being enforced by the Israeli government on Omar Barghouti, who is a Gandhi Peace Award recipient.

Mr Barghouti has been invited to speak at the Robert Tressell Festival in Dublin alongside US politician and activist Bernie Sanders.

The open letter states that Mr Barghouti has been “a strong and serious advocate for peaceful forms of resistance to the regime of illegal occupation and apartheid in Palestine” and has “always sought freedom, justice and equality, including the UN-stipulated, universal rights of refugees applying also to Palestinians”.

US Senator Bernie Sanders is one of the international guests speaking at the Robert Tressell Festival in Dublin on May 24. File picture 

“Whether one agrees with the tactics of the boycott, disinvestment and sanctions (BDS) movement for Palestinian rights that he has co-founded or not is immaterial to the belief that he should be allowed to freely express his views, to freely travel and return to his country, and to be able to meet with other progressive politicians, activists and trade unionists, including at the Robert Tressell Festival in Dublin on May 24,” the letter states.

UN special rapporteur on human rights defenders Mary Lawlor has previously called on “all EU states” including Ireland to challenge Israel‘s refusal to provide travel documents to the activist.

Signatories of the letter state:

We demand that his right to travel is respected and echo UNSR Lawlor’s call on the Irish Government and wider EU to challenge Israel’s refusal to respect his right to freedom of movement by renewing his travel document.

“We need to ensure this voice for peace with justice can be heard in person in Liberty Hall at the Robert Tressell Festival on Saturday, May 24.”

However, it adds that the denial of the right to travel is a much lesser crime than the many others currently being committed against the Palestinian people by the Israeli government.

The letter states that crimes Israel is committing against the Palestinian people are only possible with international complicity.

“Omar has been a leading voice speaking against that for years. 

"All states who say they support human rights defenders should be calling for his freedom of movement to be respected.”