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Last update - 09:34 27/05/2008
Who's afraid of Finkelstein?
By Haaretz Editorial
Tags: Israel, Norman Finkelstein

On Friday morning, the State of Israel refused to allow Prof. Norman Finkelstein, an American Jewish political scientist, to enter the country. Finkelstein was arrested at the airport and questioned by the Shin Bet security service for several hours. A day later, it became known that he had been banned from entering Israel for 10 years, for security reasons. Finkelstein managed to meet with a lawyer, who told him his chances of changing the decision were slim. When the Shin Bet decides that someone constitutes a security risk, the courts do not intervene.

According to the law, both in Israel and in other countries, no one has an intrinsic right to enter a country of which he is not a citizen. Immigration authorities have the power to keep a tourist from entering the country for reasons known only to themselves, and do not even need to provide an explanation. In Finkelstein's case, the disturbing issue is neither the legality of keeping him out nor the authority to do so, but the reasonableness of the decision. Considering his unusual and extremely critical views, one cannot avoid the suspicion that refusing to allow him to enter Israel was a punishment rather than a precaution.

It is difficult to sympathize with Finkelstein's opinions and preferences, especially since he decided to support Hezbollah, meet with its fighters and visit the graves of some of its slain operatives. But that does not mean he should be banned from entering Israel, since meetings with Hezbollah operatives do not in themselves constitute a security risk. True, the right to enter Israel is not guaranteed to noncitizens, but the right of Israeli citizens to hear unusual views is one that should be fought for. It is not for the government to decide which views should be heard here and which ones should not.
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The decision to ban Finkelstein hurts us more than it hurts him. Every once in a while, the state suffers an attack of excessive sensitivity regarding its visitors. In 2002, it was Romanian flautist Gheorghe Zamfir who was kept out of the country by the Interior Ministry. The interior minister at the time, Eli Yishai, explained that Zamfir had expressed anti-Semitic views and that his entry into Israel would "hurt Holocaust survivors." Avraham Poraz, who succeeded Yishai, overturned the decision.

When the person refused entry is Jewish, the absurdity is even greater. After all, Finkelstein could realize his right to immigrate to Israel as a Jew, in accordance with the Law of Return. Since he is Jewish and has no criminal past, it is doubtful whether he could be prevented from receiving Israeli citizenship.

The Shin Bet argues that Finkelstein constitutes a security risk. But it is more reasonable to assume that Finkelstein is persona non grata and that the Shin Bet, whose influence has increased to frightening proportions, latched onto his meetings with Hezbollah operatives in order to punish him.

And the decision is all the more surprising when one recalls the ease with which right-wing activists from the Meir Kahane camp - the kind whose activities pose a security threat that no longer requires further proof - are able to enter the country.
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  1.   finklestein is an enemy of the state 09:43  |  amos 27/05/08
  2.   haaretz stop libeling the shin bet 09:48  |  amos 27/05/08
  3.   HESBALLA uses spies for sensitive targets,why not a sympathiser.? 09:49  |  PETER SM 27/05/08
  4.   Excellent editorial 10:01  |  Richard Witty 27/05/08
  5.   Amos #2 10:07  |  David 27/05/08
  6.   Keep this Drek out of our beautiful country 10:11  |  Ronny 27/05/08
  7.   Finkelstein is a fellow Jew 10:11  |  John Stein 27/05/08
  8.   No doubt, Israel has become the most "right-wing" country...... 10:17  |  Swiss (Dino) 27/05/08
  9.   Flaws in the argument to let him in 10:23  |  Soma 27/05/08
  10.   david "false delusion" 10:28  |  amos 27/05/08
  11.   david on finklestein 10:31  |  amos 27/05/08
  12.   WHAT is the message from Finklestein meeting Hesballa fighters 10:52  |  PETER SM 27/05/08
  13.   What warped sense of priorities for Haaretz editorial 10:58  |  Rob 27/05/08
  14.   these kinds of self-hating Jews can`t do anything to help Israel 11:09  |  don 27/05/08
  15.   "the reasonableness of the decision" 11:09  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 27/05/08
  16.   He should do like Desmond Tutu - enter via Gaza strip 11:25  |  Danny 27/05/08
  17.   Israel is afraid of Finkelstein 11:32  |  Traude 27/05/08
  18.   Israel is run by terrorist, among which Kahanists are part. 11:35  |  Johan Odin 27/05/08
  19.   evidently you cant take the fink out of finkelstein 11:42  |  victor hardman 27/05/08
  20.   # 9 to soma: you spoke of flaws in the argument? 11:45  |  eric 27/05/08
  21.   Richard "Witty", You are no inllectual, and your symphaties lie 11:45  |  I 27/05/08
  22.   8 Dino, to you Iran is a left-wing country? 11:51  |  Rob 27/05/08
  23.   His anti-Israeli rants are annoying, not scary 11:52  |  TonyL 27/05/08
  24.   # 15 Cipora 11:56  |  Vinegar Hill 27/05/08
  25.   #15, I am certainly not embarrassed 12:04  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 27/05/08
  26.   Akiva Eldar,friend of Bishara couldn`t get pat on the shoulder 12:05  |  Absolute Sweden 27/05/08
  27.   Johan Odin 12:08  |  TonyL 27/05/08
  28.   john syracruse 12:09  |  yair 27/05/08
  29.   ISRAEL CAN`T HANDLE THE BURDEN OF TRUTH 12:10  |  indrajaya 27/05/08
  30.   john syracruse my doubt about your ability was confirmed 12:14  |  yair 27/05/08
  31.   vinegar hill to cipora 12:17  |  amos 27/05/08
  32.   vinegar hill and embarrassement 12:20  |  amos 27/05/08
  33.   Johan Odin,how come Norwegian peaceniks were fleeing Hebron 12:21  |  Absolute Sweden 27/05/08
  34.   vinegar hill you almost went to war with morocco 12:22  |  amos 27/05/08
  35.   Finkelstein did not want to go to Israel, on his way to WB 12:24  |  Tarik 27/05/08
  36.   Kahanists 12:31  |  Choni Davidowitz 27/05/08
  37.   Bad decision indeed 12:31  |  El-Birawi 27/05/08
  38.   #24, Vinegar Hill, just imagine 12:33  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 27/05/08
  39.   an arab in the courts of boston 12:37  |  amos 27/05/08
  40.   Kach are proud of their Judaism, Finklestein is hung up on his. 12:38  |  Harvey (Chaim) 27/05/08
  41.   And who exactly is the author referring to? 12:45  |  ChanahS 27/05/08
  42.   Kahanists? 12:51  |  ChanahS 27/05/08
  43.   # 22 Rob, if you wanna determine how "right-wing" a country is... 13:08  |  Swiss (Dino) 27/05/08
  44.   "It is difficult to sympathize with Finkelstein`s opinions" 13:16  |  Freethinker 27/05/08
  45.   #35 Tarik, exactly right 13:20  |  Ben Alofs 27/05/08
  46.   Once again, what is an "operative"? 13:23  |  Rowan 27/05/08
  47.   Israel of course 13:25  |  Mark Lincoln 27/05/08
  48.   and what about others denied entry? 13:33  |  rebecca 27/05/08
  49.   Many Haaretz editorials should be banned too... 13:34  |  Jack Goldberg 27/05/08
  50.   #38 CJK, there is no war, but occupation 13:35  |  Ben Alofs 27/05/08
  51.   Finkelstein, not Peres, should be Israel`s President 13:37  |  Palestinian in UK 27/05/08
  52.   HAARETZ AND ITS LEFT WING LUNATIC AGENDA WILL BE PUT OUT OF...... 13:47  |  WARRIOR 27/05/08
  53.   False equivalences 13:50  |  Frank 27/05/08
  54.   From Israeli point-of-view, there is no moral equivalance 13:57  |  Joel Stein 27/05/08
  55.   keep finkelstein & the kahanists out - send them to leper isle! 13:58  |  michelle 27/05/08
  56.   I cant stand Norman, be he ain`t security risk 14:00  |  Inyaki 27/05/08
  57.   No one should be denied entry for his views only 14:06  |  b`Galil 27/05/08
  58.   #36 Choni Sometimes it`s BEST to keep SHTUM 14:06  |  Ari ben Yisrael 27/05/08
  59.   Normal reaction by any healthy democracy 14:08  |  Gilad 27/05/08
  60.   #49: "... these articles" 14:08  |  Zeev 27/05/08
  61.   democratie=free speech 14:14  |  fab 27/05/08
  62.   43Dino Why don`t you spend a vacation in liberal Iran? 14:27  |  Rob 27/05/08
  63.   ALOFFS targetting Israeli civillians is war ! 14:31  |  PETER SM 27/05/08
  64.   ALOFFS targetting Israeli civillians is war ! 14:31  |  PETER SM 27/05/08
  65.   You`re mixing things up! 14:31  |  Buzaglow 27/05/08
  66.   ALOFFS targetting Israeli civillians is war ! 14:31  |  PETER SM 27/05/08
  67.   Um, Kahane Party *Was* Outlawed in Israel 14:32  |  Ovadiah ben Avraham 27/05/08
  68.   I support banning the BBC .. so this guy .. 14:34  |  SA 27/05/08
  69.   The case for Finkelstein....how can one spit on his father`s 14:37  |  ??? 27/05/08
  70.   Shin Beit dictatorship 14:38  |  King Shaul 27/05/08
  71.   Ari been Deluded #58 14:40  |  GABE1