In unprecedented ruling, court lets Israeli Arab visit an enemy state

First as you say the courts do try to "rein in excesses" (i.e. Stopping the security fence from straying from the Green line, support Pro Pal protests in Jerusalem, supporting Pro Pal protests at the security fence both held weekly or daily etc.). Yet I'm unaware of any country that doesn't have people who violate the law maybe you could enlighten us. You write: "More tolerant than Saudi Arabia - Wow!" sarcastically, but that is the point isn't it? Israel among its neighbors is a "light unto all nation". The fact that its neighbors and the Pals have such repressive societies is important to note. That's why we(people from around the world) can write both Pro and Con...about Israel...on an Israeli paper something not tolerated by the Pals or any of Israel's neighbors. Since Israel is the only place in the immediate area where trite things like freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom of the press, you Murry minor things like that, exist.

Well, "a Jew", you claim: "The law is clear: Israelies are not allowed to visit enemy states." Is that right? So every soldier who invaded Lebanon was breaking the law. How many of them have been prosecuted for it? And what about the pilots who are overflying Lebanon today? Or those who bombed Syria?

At least two of my Israeli male relatives have spent time in Lebanon. Twenty thousand Lebanese died during some of those earlier visits. That said we should be celebrating that an Israeli writer is visiting Lebanon. Let's hope he is the first of many.

omg biggest nonsense ever! it makes me laugh actually what ur government makes u believe... jews CAN visit lebanon, the tiny jewish community in lebanon is even rebuilding its beirut synagogue! u cant visit if u have israeli citizenship or if u recently visited israel because of the huge paranoia that followed the massive wave of arrests of israeli spies... big difference amigo

I have invited and hosted Jews (some with very "Jewish" sounding names) in Lebanon and they had absolutely no problem entering, so stop assuming things. They dont allow Israelis or those with Israeli stamps which is actually a huge difference.

I don't know for Lebanon, but I did not receive a visa for Syria because of an Israeli stamp on my belgian passport.

The law is clear: Israelies are not allowed to visit enemy states. How much should you pay to the judge to bend the law?

Hang out with him. It has worked with Egypt and Jordan.

Jason you are wrong there are many Jews still living in Lebanon, including my cousin?s wife and yes she is a Jew and i am a Lebanese Muslim and i see nothing wrong with that you are simply misinformed. Besides; being Israeli and being a Jew are as different as the day and night.

This is a good example for judges in the Arab world to follow. Just be independent of their masters in the political arena

and they didn't send me upstairs either...

You tell us that Lebanon is very tolerant of Israelis who come in peace. That being the case, how come they are banned from Lebanon? How come, non-Israelis who have visited Israel, that come as peaceful tourists, are banned from Lebanon. You are clearcut but like the other apologists for terrorism, you fabricate lies like multi-nationals fabricate widgets.

"There goes the non-tolerant theory" indeed! The government of Israel tried to stop this map from going to Lebanon. Doesn't seem to me like the epitome of tolerance somehow. You are right that Israeli courts do sometimes try to rein in the excesses of Israeli authorities, both civil and military. But then we have the sad story of Israeli court rulings ignored by those same authorities. Any bets that they will still make Halihal's life difficult? Will he end up in jail? Or worse? Of course this is far better than the corrupt states around - but is that the standard that Israel wants to be judged by? More tolerant than Saudi Arabia - Wow!

It's wrong to deny this man entry into Lebanon. No one can deny the connection Arab Israelis have to Israel's Arab neighbors.

The people who live in Jish are Israeli-Arabs. They are not Palestinians and since 1948 are Israeli Arabs. One can see many Israeli flags flying in Jish also called Gush Halav. There is am ancient Jewish cemetery there thousands of years old. The people are warm and friendly and they are very happy to be living in Israel. My father was also a Palestinian before 1948 but he was a Palestinian Jew. He became an Israeli as well after 1948.

Numerous examples (I'll list just two, one of which is quite serious): (1) US citizens were allowed to visit Soviet Union (and also reverse, with some restrictions) (2) India and Pakistan have MULTIPLE cross-border bus and train services

I hope lebanon, syria,egypt, and other muslim countries let their writers,scientists,journalists travel to Israel to attend conferences.

The world needs more poets and less terrorists. I hope this honored poet is not using his art to promote hatred by using poetic hyperbole to incite more violence and hate. Are his themes peace and tolerance? We all hope that one day, people will just be able to walk over the Israeli-Lebanon border and be welcomed as honored guests on both sides. Getting rid of Hizbollah would be a big step in the right direction.

Eerily very similar to the Cast Lead numbers. Don't think they need IDF assistance to eliminate each other.

Yes, the High Court of Justice deserves a pat on the shoulder, BUT as in most of their decisions this one applies to this case only! In most Western countries, a decision like this is used as a legal precedence so other people don't have to jump through hoops in order to get that same right.

What is it with you and your fellows? One instance of allowing an Arab resident/civilian visit a hostile state, is ONLY ONE instance (for an Arab) Meanwhile, Israel, in typical hypocritical fashion and against International Law, allows THOUSANDS of Jewish Israeli residents/civilians to not only go to, but to ILLEGALLY settle in, the territory of hostile entities. Occupied Sovereign Syrian territory and occupied Palestinian territory. "..Hamas..had a wonderful opportunity to show the world how they would govern, they chose civil war." They were elected. Fatah chose civil war. Do you wear your shoes backwards too?

Kudos to the Court. Certainly a noteworthy event.

Thank you Judge.

"If you have a jewish surname Lebanon doesn`t let you in" Twaddle. Renovation of the Synagogue began in August 2009, approved by the Lebanese government and Hizballah. It was funded in part by donations from Solidere, owned by the family of prime minister Rafik Hariri (assassinated). Travel to Israel from is prohibited. Since 1948 Israel forbids travel of residents and citizens to Lebanon (or any other hostile entity)

Gosh! This takes Israel up to the level of, hmmm, the USA in the 1970s. You know, when Jane Fonda was wandering around North Vietnam with a serious expression on her face. Still, better late than never, I guess, so a doff of my hat to the judges....

Israel have always allowed jews from Libya, Tunisia and Morocco to vist their country of origin.

The very fact that Israeli state is barring someone to travel where they want and when they wish, dispels any illusion of democracy that Israel may have fostered. The fact that this matter had reached Supreme Court is even more damning. There does not exist a state of war between Lebanon and Israel, at least not since 2006. So why are Israeli citizens, regardless of their ethnicity, not permitted to travel there? Only countries like North Korea deny their citizens right to travel. Are Israeli authorities that keen to lump Israel with those kind of countries? This is neither democratic nor Western value, but a sign of authocratic and paranoid government. I know I'd be mightily outraged if I had to plead with the Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Security or Prime Minister's Office to let me travel to, for example, Serbia. Israeli citizens, Jewish and Arab alike, have their human rights violated by this state of affairs.

Dear Stephen you should have tried before 1989 to enter the USA as a western european member or ex member of the Communist party! Its not the first time the supreme court defends the rights of arab citizens in Israel

Hello Ala, while in Lebanon please pay a visit to Ron Arad and give him my best regards.

in Gaza. They had a wonderful opportunity to show the world how they would govern, they chose civil war. So far at least 1,436 Palestinians have been killed/murdered, by other Palestinians, including dozens of women and children(according to the Dahan debates between Hamas and Fatah held by the BBC a few weeks ago).

Lebanon is an enemy state--that was news.... Give people their freedom, especially your ArabCitizens.. About time something good happened.

...for inviting an israeli writer from an "enemy state" to attend this cultural event. that is a proof that lebanon is very tolerant towards israelis when they do not come on tanks.

They send you upstairs. Lebanon has museums honoring holocaust in southern lebanon. Hezbollah controls communication systems and the country. At the airport if you have a jewish surname you are sent upstairs.

"For all those anti-Israel writers that accuse Israel non-tolerance, unfair legal system etc., whoops! There goes that out the window. As Usual the World respected independent court system in Israel proves once again, those writer`s are wrong." One egg in a basket = a dozen eh? AMAZING!! "Nothing similar exists in the Pal government(s)..." They have to get Israeli permission.

to MF I don't know what the purpose is of your assumption besides veiled racism against Palestinian Muslims but the writer is not a Christian and it shouldn't matter what he is, the important thing is that he is an Arab. well done Adalah!

It sounds like the right thing to do, ie. to let a writer writing in Arabic attend a writers conference in Lebanon, actually, possibly a Christian Arab. More actions like this in the region and Israel could become paradigmatic for the whole Middle East. Congratulations to the Court.

For all those anti-Israel writers that accuse Israel non-tolerance, unfair legal system etc., whoops! There goes that out the window. As Usual the World respected independent court system in Israel proves once again, those writer's are wrong. Nothing similar exists in the Pal government(s)...or Israel's enemy states that surround it...as we saw when Hamas took over Gaza mass executed Fatah prisoner's without trial, and more importantly without a peep from the Israel-bashers. Whose hollow indignation is reserved for Israel alone.